Left Parties to Hold Joint Rally in Kolkata on Nov 5 Against SIR

Asansol. Following the successful mega rally of the INDIA bloc in New Delhi on Sunday, left parties have called a 3-hour sit-in and meeting at the Rani Rashmoni Venue in Kolkata. Questions are being raised whether the Left and Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool will share the stage on this issue in Kolkata just like in Delhi. However, the Left leadership is not giving much importance to that matter. Left parties have already intensified protests over books in the state. Meanwhile, they want to take to the streets over SIR. Elections for the Kolkata and Howrah Municipal Corporations are approaching. This initiative is considered an effort to make themselves relevant before that. Left Front leaders will raise their voices demanding the cancellation of SIR on November 5. District-wide mobilization has already been carried out to invite people to the Rani Rashmoni meeting. Last Saturday, a thousand people took to the streets to protest the demolition of book stalls. On Sunday, the CPM set up mobile book shops in different parts of the city. On the SIR issue, the Left Front, including CPI (ML) and SUCI, has jointly appealed for protests. A three-hour central sit-in and meeting has been called on November 5 starting at 2:30 PM. CPM State Secretary Mohammed Salim said that this program has been called jointly with all left parties. Democracy-loving people and organizations will be invited there. However, many doubt how successful this meeting will be, as left organizations are weakening, currently having only one MLA and one MP, making it difficult to pull off a massive turnout.