Kolkata Hosts Two Contrasting Carnivals Amid Protests

 Kolkata: For the first time, Kolkata witnessed two different carnivals, close to each other but of opposite mood on Tuesday evening.

While the Mamata Banerjee government organised Durga Puja Immersion Carnival on Red Road with fanfare like previous years, hundreds of people gathered in heart of the city, Dharmatala, and observed 'Droho Carnival' to seek justice into the rape and murder of a young lady doctor at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital.

At Red Road, the chief minister herself was present and witnessed a procession of Durga idols of top puja committees in the city on its way to river Hooghly for immersion. Some star Bengali actresses performed traditional dances in the rally for entertainment.

Meanwhile the Calcutta High Court allowed the representatives of the medical fraternity to conduct 'Droho Carnival', an event of a human-chain protest against the brutal crime on August 9.

While passing the order, Justice Ravi Krishan Kapur of the HC also dismissed the prohibitory orders imposed by Kolkata Police to block the agitation.

Justice Kapur further directed the city police to place a barricade between Rani Rashmoni Road, the venue of the 'Droh-Carnival' and Red Road, where the Durga Puja Immersion Carnival was held, to avoid any confrontation.

Soon after the HC order, the medical fraternity started staging the 'Droho carnival.' When state fire and emergency services minister Sujit Basu, who is also the patron of Sreebhumi Durga Puja, was returning from Red Road in his convoy that passed by the venue of ‘Droho Carnival’, some of the demonstrators shouted slogans at him. Mr Basu alleged that his car was also hit by them.