Civil society, commoners join Mamata in massive protest rally

Kolkata, Nov 28 : With film personalities, writers, musicians, sportspersons, and other eminent persons matching steps, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday led a massive rally here to protest the union government s demonetisation initiative.Middle-class housewives, youths, industrial workers and common people from all other strata of the society joined the civil society and professionals like lawyers, doctors and others in the rally as Trinamool Congress chief Banerjee herself raised slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government.Taking a hand-held mike, Banerjee, draped in her usual white cotton saree, shouted "Narendra Modi hai hai, Modi Sarkar hai hai" and "Tanashahi nehi cholegal" as the rallyists did a loud encore.Throughout the 2.8-km march that saw mammoth crowds lining up both sides of the roads, Banerjee responded to the people s greetings with "namaskar" and egged on the participants.Ministers and senior Trinamool leaders all took part in the march that began from College Street at noon and culminated at Dorina Crossing an hour later.Matinee idols Dev and Soham, filmmaker Arindam Sil, other leading figures of the Bengali cine world, painters, singers Indranil Sen, Parikshit Bala, Gautam Ghosh, football stars and theatre personalities participated in the march. It was part of the serial protests organised by the Trinamool against the Modi government s decision to scrap Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes, ostensibly to curb black money and terrorist funding.Adding colour to the rally were a number of innovative tableaux, banners, placards and posters decrying demonetisation and underscoring its harmful impact on the people.