Siliguri, July 21 -- On the same day as Trinamool Congress's (TMC) Martyrs' Day programme in Kolkata, the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) held a massive 'Uttarkanya Chalo' rally in Siliguri. Despite initial apprehensions, the event concluded peacefully under stringent police security.
Organised by the youth wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the rally commenced from Tinbatti More and culminated at Chunabhatti Ground, where a public meeting was held. Senior BJP leaders including Suvendu Adhikari, Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Indranil Khan BJYM state president, Shankar Ghosh, Siliguri MLA , and other party figures addressed the gathering.
Thousands of BJP workers and supporters from across North Bengal participated in the rally. The police imposed tight security measures along the rally route from Tinbatti More to Uttarkanya.
A barricade was set up at the entrance of Uttarkanya and one-way traffic was maintained to ensure order. Initially, the Siliguri Metropolitan Police had denied permission for the rally, citing concerns over potential disruptions to nearby hospitals and schools. However, the BJYM challenged the decision in the Calcutta High Court, which subsequently granted conditional permission for the event.
Following the court's directives, the rally began at around 1 pm and concluded by 3 pm.
In his speech, Adhikari emphasised the peaceful nature of the rally. "We have followed the High Court's order and conducted the programme peacefully. Thousands joined us today. We always obey rules and guidelines, and we did the same today," he said.
Adhikari also announced plans to visit Cooch Behar on August 4 with 65 MLAs, following which they will return to Uttarkanya to submit a memorandum highlighting their demands. The rally caused significant traffic congestion from Tinbatti More to Uttarkanya. However, the heavy deployment of police helped manage the situation and ensured minimal disruption.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.