Preparations are on in full swing for the rally to be held here on Monday at the initiative of Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee — one that has created quite a controversy after the Maoist-backed Police Santrash Birodhi Janasadharaner Committee (PSBJC) extended support to it.
While the district unit of the Trinamool got ready on Sunday to give a grand welcome to Ms. Banerjee, the district police pepped up security arrangements in the Lalgarh region and its periphery to keep out Maoists from the rally as well as to ensure law and order.
The entire stretch of road from Midnapore town to Lalgarh — the route Ms. Banerjee is to take — has been virtually draped with Trinamool flags, banners and hoardings even though the party chief had announced that it would be an “apolitical” rally. Some flags of the Communist Party of India (Maoist) were also seen along a stretch.
There was hectic activity on the playground of the Lalgarh Ramkrishna Vidyalaya, where the rally will be held, with workers putting up the dais, while Union Minister of State for Shipping and senior Trinamool leader, Mukul Roy, went around giving instructions.
Expressing satisfaction with the preparations, Union Minister of State for Rural Development Sisir Adhikari, who also belongs to the Trinamool Congress, brushed aside the apprehension that the rally could get derailed if the police attempted to arrest any Maoist attending the rally.
“Ours is an apolitical rally against violence and every other person who supports the cause is welcome to attend,” Mr. Adhikari told The Hindu .
The district police, however, are not leaving anything to chance. Besides deploying Central forces and State police personnel for maintaining law and order, video cameras are being installed at strategic positions along the entire route to screen the rally participants.
District Superintendent of Police Manoj Kumar Verma said: “The entire route to be taken by Ms. Banerjee will be covered by video cameras. Special anti-sabotage teams will be kept at hand to tackle any emergency situation.”
Apart from that, there would be intense patrolling and deployment of sniffer dogs and bomb squad personnel, Mr. Verma added.
The Trinamool Congress alleged that four of its supporters were beaten up by armed CPI(M) cadres at Moupal in the Salboni sub-division on Sunday when they were planting party flags by the roadside.
