48 hours before the meeting in Kolkata police have denied permission for the event.
48 hours before the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or RSS plans to hold a public meeting in Kolkata, where the chief guest is Mohan Bhagwat, the police have denied permission for the event. The two venues proposed by the RSS have been found unfit and the police have suggested RSS defer the meeting.
RSS's Bengal unit on Thursday called a press conference and announced that it is approaching the division bench of the Calcutta High Court for its intervention. On Wednesday, a single judge had ordered the Kolkata Police to confirm within 24 hours whether the RSS could hold a meeting or not.
The RSS had first printed an invitation card saying the venue was at a park in Khidderpore. Its second card said the venue was Brigade Parade Ground.
Around noon on Thursday, the Kolkata Police sent a letter to RSS Kolkata chief Prasant Bhatt, saying, "The proposed meeting at the Brigade parade ground in the heart of city, to be attended by Mr Mohan Rao Bhagwat who has Z+ category security is completely unadvisable."
The reason cited: a huge number of people and vehicles in the brigade parade ground area who are on their way to Gangasagar for Makar Sankranti. The crowd is expected to peak on 14 and 15 January.
The other option, Bhukailash Maidan Khidderpore, has been rejected by the police as it is too small. "It can barely accommodate 500 people but your meeting is expecting 4000 people," the police said, adding "Exit gates are not wide enough for the fire brigade and the quick exit of such a large number of people."
The RSS, however, is convinced the police refusal to allow the meeting on the 14th is political. "But we are hoping the division bench will give us justice," said Professor Debashish Chowdhury, media coordinator of the RSS. "We are a disciplined organization and can organize the meeting at one hour's notice," he said.