Calcutta High Court on Wednesday allowed the leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, and others to stage a sit-in for four hours in front of Raj Bhavan on July 14 after the state government submitted that it had no objections to the BJP's peaceful programme on the specified date and time.

Justice Amrita Sinha though allowed Adhikari to hold a peaceful demonstration with 300 people on a stage at least 10 yards away from the Raj Bhavan gate on July 14. The court also warned that no firearms would be allowed and no hateful comments or any form of disturbance tolerated.

Justice Sinha allowed Adhikari to hold the demonstration after advocate general Kishore Datta said the state had no objection if Adhikari and his supporters sat in protest in front of Raj Bhavan on Sunday, July 14, from 10am for four hours.

“I am grateful to the court for permitting me to sit. This is a moral victory for me. I will sit alongside 300 families who are victims of post-poll violence. When 'bhaipo (Abhishek Banerjee)' demonstrates, there is no CrPC, and the law applies only to others. This was an ethical battle for me and the court has vindicated it,” Adhikari said.

The dharna outside Raj Bhavan with alleged victims of post-poll violence had become a point of contention between the BJP and the ruling Trinamool Congress after Kolkata Police denied Adhikari permission to the protest citing Section 144 of the CrPC that was in force in the area.

Adhikari had moved the court, alleging that the city police had allowed TMC national general secretary Abhishek to hold a dharna for five days outside Raj Bhavan in October last year. Abhishek held the dharna to protest the Centre's decision to halt the release of funds to Bengal under rural schemes.

Trinamool spokesperson Santanu Sen said Abhishek Banerjee's protest couldn't be equated with that of Adhikari.