CPM veteran Biman Bose opens a book stall at Jadavpur on Tuesday
Senior advocate Samim Ahmed, representing CPM, submitted that they had been putting up book stalls for 40-45 years during Durga Puja. But considering the urgency and the additional time it would take for petitioner CPM to serve fresh notices if the matter was released and placed before a different bench, Justice Bhattacharyya took it up for hearing.
“They want to sell books, not food items,” the single judge told the additional advocate general (AAG). “This year, too, representation has not been refused. We are erecting our temporary structures. But we are being restrained… . In front of our party office, we are trying to put up a stall. Police did not intervene. Replying to Justice Bhattacharyya’s query on whether police permission is needed before putting up book stalls, Ahmed replied in negative.
Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday directed the state to get instructions on CPM ’s allegations of not being allowed to put up book stalls during Durga Puja , even in front of their party offices at Bongaon and Panihati. The matter was listed to be released from Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya’s list on Tuesday. But today… people have made temp construction, Hindu Jagran Mancha, in front of our party office, where we wanted to put up the stall.