Calcutta HC clears Babul Supriyo’s Sansad Mela

Kolkata: Overruling Asansol Municipal Corporation’s objections, Calcutta high court gave permission for the holding of Sansad Mela — Union minister and local MP Babul Supriyo’s brainchild — at the divisional railway stadium popularly known as Loco Ground.

The court, however, directed the organisers to not host cultural programmes where Bollywood artists were scheduled to perform. Asansol mayor Jitendra Tewari had denied permission because of law and order and security concerns.

A division bench of justices B Somadder and S Acharya today directed that the mayor and other authorities of the Asansol Municipal Corporation shall permit the appellants to hold the Sansad Mela at Loco Ground as per schedule this evening. The bench, however, directed that no cultural programme, including musical performances, will be allowed to be held in view of the statements by the appellants. ‘Me and We’, an NGO which is co-organising the fair, moved the appeal before the division bench after the Asansol mayor refused permission.

It may be noted that a single bench of the high court on Tuesday had directed that the municipal body consider afresh and take a call on the application for permission within a day after it had earlier refused to give permission for the fair.

Refusing to give permission, the mayor Jitendra Tiwari had said that artistes from Mumbai would perform and that may cause a stampede owing to a possible large attendance of around 50,000 people. “Mr Supriyo is a big star and a large number of people would gather to at the venue to see him. The selected venue cannot accommodate such large gathering and might result in a stampede. Keeping in mind such factors, we cannot give permission to hold the fair. He is welcome to select any other venue which will not pose such problems,” Mr Tiwari had said.

The petitioners today submitted before the division bench that the cultural programme has been cancelled as the second rejection of its application was on the ground of the programme. However, after today’s High Court directive, the Asansol mayor was left red-faced and supporters of Babul Supriyo celebrated at the venue.