Calcutta High Court has granted permission to Indian Army veterans to stage a protest today near the Gandhi statue at Maidan area in Kolkata following Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s alleged remarks on the Army. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee made some remarks while Army personnel from the Eastern Command in Kolkata removed a Trinamool Congress temporary stage from the area.

 

 

The Army took this action after multiple appeals to remove the stage were ignored by the TMC, and no steps were taken by the Kolkata Police. The Maidan area falls under the jurisdiction of the Indian Army, and a significant portion of the land is owned by the Ministry of Defence. The Army authorities removed the structure. In response to the incident and the Chief Minister’s comments, the Calcutta High Court allowed Indian Army veterans to stage a sit-in protest. However, the court imposed certain restrictions; no BJP leaders are allowed to participate in the protest, and a list of participating volunteers must be submitted in advance to the Kolkata Police.

 

 

Mamata Banerjee’s remarks on the removal of the TMC stage by the Army initiated political uproar in the West Bengal Assembly, leading to the Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari’s suspension from the Assembly in a three-day special session. Mamata Banerjee has reportedly accused the Army of acting under the BJP. While the BJP voiced support for the act of the Army’s authority, the latter had not commented on any political matter. Veterans appealed to the Calcutta High Court for permission a sit in protest against the remarks of Mamata Banerjee.