CM to arrive at Siliguri on Jan 2 to attend anti-CAA rally

Amitava Banerjee | MP | 31 December 2019 | Darjeeling: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will be arriving at Siliguri on January 2, where she will be attending an anti-CAA and anti-NRC rally the next day. Preparations are on in full swing for the same.

"We are expecting more than a lakh people for this mega rally. Our party chief Mamata Banerjee will be arriving on January 2," stated Ranjan Sarkar, president, Trinamool Congress Darjeeling District Committee (Plains), while addressing media persons.

The rally will commence from freedom fighter Khudiram Bose's statue in Mallaguri on January 3. "Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will be addressing the gathering there," added Sarkar.

The rally will pass through all the major thoroughfares of Siliguri including Kutchery Road and Hill Cart Road. Covering a distance of more than 4 km, the rally will end at Baghajatin Park. "The Chief Minister will depart for Kolkata after the rally," added Sarkar.

It may be mentioned that recently BJP had organised a rally in support of CAA in Siliguri and political observers feel that the TMC rally would be a show of strength.

"People from neighbouring areas including Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling and Kalimpong hills will be attending the rally. Arrangements for parking of vehicles and other logistics are being worked out," stated Sarkar.

Sites have been earmarked at Dagapur and other fringe areas of the town for parking.

State Tourism minister Gautam Deb will be arriving in Siliguri on Wednesday and will be holding a meeting with police top brass on the same day, to review security arrangements and traffic arrangements for the rally.

Recently, the TMC top brass of North Bengal had met in Siliguri to discuss the rally. The meeting also resolved to hold door-to-door campaign to educate the masses on the adverse effects of CAA and NRC.