Section 144 imposed near BDO offices in Bengal ahead of BJP�s agitation

Kolkata, July 21 (IANS) In view of BJP's proposed demonstrations near all Block Development Offices (BDO)s in West Bengal against the violence and bloodbath in the recently-concluded panchayat polls in the state, the police administration has imposed Section 144 in front of all the BDO offices from 9 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. on Friday.

A decision to this effect was taken as the agitation coincided with the ruling Trinamool Congress’s annual “Martyrs’ Day” programme in central Kolkata this afternoon.

The district magistrates and district superintendents directed the BDO offices throughout the state on this count. This being the last such programme before the big battle of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls all focus will be on what message All India Trinamool Congress’s national president and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will give from the dais.

Meanwhile, the traffic system in Kolkata has virtually collapsed since this morning as the supporters of the ruling party have started approaching the rally venue in central Kolkata.

Besides the chief minister, the other major speakers on the occasion will include party’s national general secretary and Lok Sabha member Abhishek Banerjee, Kolkata mayor and state municipal affairs & urban development minister Firhad Hakim.

This time, the programme moderator will be the state president of Trinamool Congress Subrata Bakshi. Till last year former state education minister and the secretary general Partha Chatterjee used to be the moderators for the programme.

Last year, he was arrested by Enforcement Directorate (ED) sleuths on the morning of July 23 that is within less than 48 hours for his alleged connection with the multi- crore school recruitment cases.