The Kolkata police have announced the imposition of section 144 in the entire city, prompting BJP to allege that it has been imposed to target PM Modi’s planned roadshow in 28 May. However, the police denied the accusation claiming that Section 144 is regularly imposed and renewed in the area.

In the order issued on 22 May by Police Commissioner Vineet Kumar Jain, the police have imposed section 144 of the IPC prohibiting any unlawful assembly of five or more persons for 60 days from 28 May 2024 to 26 July 2024 in the Metropolitan area of Kolkata along with parts of South 24 Parganas district that falls under Kolkata Police jurisdiction.

The notification states that the restrictions have been imposed based on “information received from credible sources that violent demonstrations are likely to take place resulting in large-scale disturbances of the public tranquillity and breach of the peace.”

The commissioner said that he is of the opinion that there is sufficient cause for not allowing any rallies/ meetings /processions/ dharnas/ demonstrations for next 2 months in the Town of Kolkata, so as to ensure immediate prevention of breach of peace, disturbances of the public tranquillity in the said Area in view of die larger public interest.

The order stated, “In exercise of the power conferred by Sub-Section(1) of Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (Act 2 of 1974) read with the Sub-Section(3) of the said Section, I, Vineet Kumar Goyal, Commissioner of Police, Kolkata being an Executive Magistrate for the Metropolitan area of Kolkata as well as in the district of South 24 Parganas (within the limits of the suburbs of Kolkata falling under Kolkata police jurisdiction) do hereby prohibit for a period of 60 (Sixty) days from 28.05.2024 to 26.07.2024 or until further order, any unlawful assembly of 05 or more persons, carrying of lathi, any lethal or other dangerous weapons or doing of any act which is likely to cause breach of the peace and disturbances of the public tranquillity and disruption of vehicular traffic within the said area in the town of Kolkata.”

After the Kolkata Police issued the order, the BJP accused the Trinamool Congress govt of targeting PM Modi’s roadshow in Kolkata on 28 May, the day Section 144 begins in the city. Party’s IT cell head Amit Malviya said, “A scared Mamata Banerjee has ordered Kolkata Police to impose Section 144 for a period of 60 days starting from 28th May 2024 to 26th July 2024. The greater Kolkata region is to poll on 1st Jun and Prime Minister Modi is to hold a roadshow in the city on 28th May. Aware of her slipping political capital in the Kolkata region, Mamata Banerjee is doing what she does best – hiding behind Kolkata Police! Read this move as a sign of her nervousness and shape of things to come.”

A scared Mamata Banerjee has ordered Kolkata Police to impose Section 144 for a period of 60 days starting from 28th May 2024 to 26th July 2024. The greater Kolkata region is to poll on 1st Jun and Prime Minister Modi is to hold a roadshow in the city on 28th May.
Aware of her… pic.twitter.com/vP8HKhaEEl

— Amit Malviya (मोदी का परिवार) (@amitmalviya) May 24, 2024

West Bengal BJP chief Sukanta Majumder made similar accusations, saying that the move shows TMC is fearful of losing the polls. He posted on X, “The CM, sensing the will of the masses after 5 phases of election, is now fearful. In a desperate move, she has ordered police to implement Article 144 in Kolkata to stop Modiji’s road-show. Let TMC know: No evil tactics can stop the BJP.”

However, Kolkata Police responded to Sukanta Majumder’s tweet claiming that imposing section 144 in the area is done on a regular basis and there is nothing new in it. The official 𝕏 handle of Kolkata Police posted, “Kolkata Police issues 144 Cr PC order in vicinity of Dalhousie and Victoria house on regular basis. This is nothing new and copies of previous orders being attached. So please refrain from spreading misleading information,” quoting Majumder’s tweet.

Kolkata Police issues 144 Cr PC order in vicinity of Dalhousie and Victoria house on regular basis. This is nothing new and copies of previous orders being attached. So please refrain from spreading misleading information. https://t.co/UdpHbUCACl pic.twitter.com/JL7SgBtDDD

— Kolkata Police (@KolkataPolice) May 24, 2024

Kolkata Police also attached similar orders issued on 22 March and 25 January this year imposing restrictions under section 144 in the entire Kolkata metropolitan area along with South 24 Parganas.

Kolkata Police also posted the same response responding to a tweet by ANI on the new order, asking to “refrain from spreading misleading information.”

The police response suggests that section 144 is continuously imposed in Kolkata which is renewed every 2 months. The 22 March order imposed the restrictions from 29 March to 27 May, and the recent order imposed it from 28 May. Similarly, the January order was for the period 29 January to 28 March, which shows that section 144 is in force continuously in the city, which being renewed every two months.