Martyrs’ Day rally: PIL filed in Calcutta HC for virtual format this year too

Kolkata, July 16 (UNI) A Kolkata physician filed public interest litigation in the Calcutta High Court on Saturday, demanding that the ruling Trinamool Congress’s annual Mar- tyrs’ Day programme on July 21 be organized in virtual format, considering the recent rise in Covid-19 graph in the state. Dur- ing the last two years, the Trinamool organised the programme in the virtual format because of the pan- demic situation. However, this year they have decided to go back to the old format of a gathering at central Kolkata, to be addressed by West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee.
Apprehending that the gathering will take a massive shape this year, reput- ed physician Sanjib Kumar Mukhopadhyay filed the PIL, contending that at a time the Covid-19 graph in the state has almost touched the 3,000 mark, then massive gathering on the occasion of the Martyrs’ Day might become another “super spreader”. The public interest litigation has been admitted by the divi- sion bench and its hearing might take place on July 19. However, the petitioner has also mentioned some pos- sible precautions in case the programme cannot be done virtually like the last two years.According to him, in the gathering, it has to be ensured by the ad- ministration that each one present there wears a mask and the gathering should be done in such a manner that social distancing is maintained. He also called for placement of sanitisation channels at every entry point to the meeting venue. According to the petition, the administration and the political party concerned should also ensure that the vehicles through which the participants will come to Kolkata on July 21 to at- tend the rally are sanitised properly.