Trinamool to hit streets to counter JU students' protests

Sources said the Trinamool Congress’ counter rally would begin from the Academy of Fine Arts and end at the Raj Bhavan.

Instructions were given not to carry any party flags during the march. Party’s senior front-ranking leaders have been asked to stay away from the rally.

The party leadership has been asked to see that a good number of civil society representatives like intellectuals, academicians and even vice-chancellors (present and retired) lead the rally.

Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee on Sunday held a two-hour meeting at her Kalighat residence with leaders of the party’s frontal bodies to chalk out a strategy for the counter rally. In the meeting, she reportedly insisted on two issues that no Trinamool Congress flags should be seen and no senior party leader should take part in the rally.

The protest march will only have placards, posters and festoons condemning the JU students’ protests.

Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress Yuva President Abhishek Banerjee criticized the students’ protests at JU. Banerjee, who is also the nephew of the Trinamool supremo and a Lok Sabha member from Doamond Harbour seat, questioned the role of students at the JU campus.