Kolkata Police imposes Section 144 for 60 days to avoid 'violent demonstrations'

Section 144 will continue till July 26 in Kolkata and parts of South 24 Parganas, which also fall under the jurisdiction of Kolkata Police.

A police statement reads, "Kolkata Commissioner of Police imposes section 144 of the IPC prohibiting any unlawful assembly of five or more persons for 60 days from 28.05.2024 to 26.07.2024 or until further order based on information received from credible sources that violent demonstrations are likely to take place resulting in large-scale disturbances of the public tranquillity and breach of the peace."

Giving a political angle, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) IT Cell head Amit Malviya posted on X, "A scared Mamata Banerjee has ordered Kolkata Police to impose Section 144 for a period of 60 days starting from 28th May 2024 to 26th July 2024.

"The greater Kolkata region is to poll on 1st Jun and Prime Minister Modi is to hold a roadshow in the city on 28th May. Aware of her slipping political capital in the Kolkata region, Mamata Banerjee is doing what she does best - hiding behind Kolkata Police! Read this move as a sign of her nervousness and shape of things to come."

The announcement of the imposition of Section 144 came on a day, a huge number of sadhus or monks took to streets in Kolkata protesting against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's scathing remark against Bharat Sevashram Sangha monk Kartik Maharaj.

The monks were seen chanting slogans to remove Mamata as the chief minister of the state. Kartik Maharaj also walked in the protest rally.

"All monks are not the same... I have always respected Bharat Sevashram Sangha. But I came to know there is a monk in Baharampur, named Kartik Maharaj, who said he won't allow TMC agents to perform his work. I don't respect such a monk. I don't consider him as a monk," Mamata had said.

Following massive outrage against her remarks, she repeated her comment and clarified that she only spoke about a particular monk.

"I have only spoken against an individual. I have no problem with someone supporting the BJP but I urge him to do it publicly... I don't speak without evidence," Mamata had said.