By IANS,
Kolkata: The West Bengal government Monday agreed to give conditional permission to the Trinamool Congress for organising its Aug 9 meeting in Maoist-affected Lalgarh of West Midnapore district, a top official said.
“If the Trinamool agrees to some conditions then it can organise a meeting in Lalgarh,” Home Secretary Samar Ghosh said at the state secretariat Writers’ Buildings.
“The Trinamool would have to talk to the police administration for identifying the route of its procession. And they have to take their procession only through that route. Secondly, the meeting should end much before evening so that the participating supporters, leaders and intellectuals can leave the area before dusk,” said Ghosh.
Besides, the senior leaders have to cooperate with the sleuths of the Intelligence Branch (IB) who are active in the Lalgarh area. The IB sleuths may also ask them to give particular information like names of the leaders and intellectuals participating in the meeting.
All the inputs gathered by the IB officials like threat perception will be conveyed to the party leaders timely, said the home secretary.
“Besides, Trinamool will have to ensure there was no overcrowding on the podium and party leaders and supporters did not mill around it. The sitting arrangement of the public or the party supporters should be made at a safe distance from the podium and entry and exit points of the meeting place should be only a few,” said Ghosh.
The district administration has been asked to give permission to the Trinamool for holding their meeting if the party agreed to abide by the conditions but providing security to the Trinamool leaders and supporters would be the main priority of the state government, he added.
Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) Surajit Purokayastha said: “Apart from the state police, Central Reserve Police Force personnel will be deployed in and around the podium and the meeting place for the safety and security of the Trinamool leaders and supporters”.