Kolkata: Three rallies marking the July 21 Shahid Diwas—one led by the Mamata Banerjee faction of Trinamool Congress, one by the Ritabrata faction and the third by the Congress—are set to hit the city on Tuesday, putting Kolkata’s traffic management to test.While the Mamata Banerjee faction of Trinamool will hold its rally on Cathedral Road close to Nandan and Birla Planetarium, the Ritabrata faction will hold its rally on Mayo road and the Congress at Shahid Minar. All three are scheduled to begin around noon.As has been her practice for the past three decades, Banerjee visited the venue on the eve of the rally. “We had asked for Victoria House as the rally venue but the permission was not granted. We asked for Dorina Crossing, permission not granted. Mayo Road was not granted either. Yet Red Road was closed for seven days for a programme. For years, we have been holding a programme at a venue. What would have been the harm in granting permission for a day? Those saying our name and vision are finished, I want to say, we were there, we are there, we shall be there... we will stay with the masses and our workers. From July 21, we will chart a new beginning. We need to save democracy from the anti-socials,” said Banerjee.Later, Beleghata MLA Kunal Ghosh told reporters that the July 21, 1993 incident was a planned attack on Banerjee and those who rallied for her. Hours before chief minister Suvendu Adhikari criticised Banerjee’s role in allegedly not compensating the martyrs, Ghosh said her duty did not end with merely placing wreaths at the martyrs’ memorial. “She has kept the martyrs’ memory alive. She was the only one to stand by the bereaved families at that time,” claimed Ghosh. Pointing out that not only the weather but also the political climate was hostile now, Ghosh said, “Even amid these adverse conditions, we have to continue our work. Mamata Banerjee’s foot soldiers are carrying on with the mission.”A source said the party was depending mainly on the city’s support for a “sizeable turn up”. “No one is renting us their guest houses to accommodate outstation supporters. We are apprehensive about starting our procession from Hazra at 10 am to join the main rally as BJP may foment trouble. They have already called street corner meetings between Hazra and Exide crossings. The police are constantly hounding us, while as the Ritabrata faction is distributing special badges for their workers,” alleged a former councilor.The rebel camp leader, Raghunathganj MLA Akhruzzaman, said instead of Banerjee’s photo on the main stage, they would have photos of Gandhi, Ambedkar, Tagore and Nazrul. The martyrs’ names would be displayed, their families would stand with them, and no political functionary would be in the front row, he said, adding 80,000 badges were sent out to districts though he could not specify the turnout count.Work to set up the Martyrs’ Day stage for the ‘Ritabrata-Trinamool’ at Mayo Road started early on Sunday. But the Army later stopped the work, citing absence of permission. On Monday afternoon, Chandrima Bhattacharya, Aroop Biswas, Javed Khan and Akhruzzaman visited the venue to inspect the preparations. Arup Roy and Biplab Mitra are scheduled to be the main speakers.The Congress claimed on Monday that their Shahid Minar rally would be historic and one of the “biggest” in recent times.About the traffic arrangements, police said the eastern flank (Academy side) of Cathedral Road was cordoned off for the Mamata faction rally and a portion of Mayo Road was shut for the Ritabrata faction. “Those going for the planetarium rally will park their vehicles on Asutosh Mukherjee Road and Queensway and those headed for Mayo Road on both sides of JL Nehru Road and New Road. Those attending the Shahid Minar rally can park their vehicles at the Bangabasi and Gangasagar grounds,” said an officer. He added that Kidderpore Road-Red Road-Dufferin Road and JL Nehru-RR Avenue-CR Avenue would be open. “We will follow HC orders,” said an officer.
