The Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal, Suvendu Adhikari, suffered a significant legal setback on Wednesday after the Calcutta High Court declined to grant permission for a proposed Bharatiya Janata Party sit-in protest in front of Nabanna, the state secretariat, on January 16. The observation was made by Justice Subhra Ghosh during the preliminary hearing of Adhikari's petition seeking permission for the “Nabanna Abhijan.”
The court made it clear that Nabanna, being a crucial administrative hub, cannot be allowed to be the venue for a sit-in or protest. Justice Ghosh noted that any demonstration at the state secretariat could severely disrupt administrative functioning, law and order, and traffic movement, making it untenable to permit such a programme at the location.
However, the court stopped short of rejecting the protest altogether. As an alternative, Justice Ghosh suggested that the BJP could hold its protest either at the Nabanna bus stand or at Mandirtala, observing that demonstrations at these locations would be less likely to directly interfere with official work.
The petitioner has been directed to inform the court on Thursday whether they are willing to shift the protest to either of the suggested venues. The court will take a final call after receiving the response. The matter is scheduled to be heard on Thursday.
The case stems from the BJP’s planned protest over multiple issues, including the recent Enforcement Directorate raid at the office and residence of political consultancy firm I-PAC’s director Pratik Jain and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s presence there at the time of the raid. Seeking to raise these concerns, the BJP had approached the High Court for permission to hold a sit-in protest outside Nabanna.
During the hearing, Justice Ghosh also made a remark on adherence to the rule of law. “Just because the law was not followed elsewhere, it does not mean I will also break the law. That cannot happen,” she observed, underscoring that past instances cannot be cited as justification for violating legal norms.
The state government, meanwhile, raised objections even to the Nabanna bus stand as a potential venue. Responding to this, the judge remarked, “Mandirtala is also a bus stand. Won’t there be any problem if it’s held there?”— a comment that questioned the consistency of the state’s objections to the alternative locations.
In effect, while the High Court has drawn a firm line against protests in front of Nabanna, it has kept the door open for the BJP to proceed with its programme at an alternative site. With political tempers running high, attention now shifts to Thursday’s hearing, when the party’s choice of venue and the court’s final decision are expected to shape the next course of action.
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