Police have denied a doctors’ association permission for a sit-in protest at Esplanade on the grounds that the congregation of “large numbers of people” in the New Market-Park Street area before Christmas and New Year could create problems.

An email by the joint commissioner of police, headquarters, to the Joint Platform of Doctors (JPD) says “there is every possibility of traffic congestion and inconvenience to general public at large because of the said programme”.

The doctors’ association shared the email from the police with Metro.

The association will approach Calcutta High Court on Tuesday against the police’s denial of permission.

The email from the police said: “It should be noted that due to ensuing Christmas Eve and New Year Eve, large numbers of people are coming from different parts of the state and outside out for shopping/market activities/day outing at Park Street and New Market and its surrounding areas which is within proximity of your proposed place of programme.”

The email also referred to previous protests at Esplanade, without naming them, that turned out to be traffic stoppers. Several junior doctors sat on a hunger strike in Metro channel, the stretch of Chowringee Road opposite Metro cinema, in October.

The email said: “It is also pertinent to mention that previously same and identical programme held at that place which had jeopardised the movement of traffic at central Kolkata for long durations and caused huge inconvenience to general public and led to breach of peace as well.”

“Your scheduled programme at the referred venue on the eve of festive season will cause great inconvenience to the people,” the email added.

“Past experience indicates that breach of peace cannot be ruled out.”

The JPD wrote to the commissioner of Kolkata Police on Sunday seeking permission to set up a dais at the Dorina crossing for sit-in protests from December 17 to 26.

The JPD wants to press for two demands. One of the demands is that the CBI submit a supplementary chargesheet against former RG Kar Medical College principal Sandip Ghosh and former Tala police station officer-in-charge Abhijit Mandal in connection with the rape and murder of a junior doctor at the medical college on August 9.

The other demand is that the state government give concurrence to prosecute Ghosh and former RG Kar house staff Ashis Pandey in a case related to alleged financial irregularities at RG Kar.

A member of the JPD, Utpal Bandyopadhyay, said: “We will approach the high court on Tuesday. During Durga Puja, a number of pandal-hoppers came to the site at Esplanade where junior doctors were on a hunger strike. We are not hindering Christmas festivities in any way.”

Another JPD member said they were firm on the sit-in. “The police’s denial of permission is along expected lines. We will approach the high court.”