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Kolkata club cancels Balochistan-Kashmir event featuring Tarek Fatah's talk

The organisers of the event allege that the club was pressurised by the Kolkata Police to call off the event.

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Image credit: Tarek Fatah's Twitter account
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The event 'The Saga of Balochistan & Kashmir: What the world needs to know' was called off by a private club in Kolkata citing the necessity 'to ensure cordial atmosphere'. The event was to be held on the club premises on January 7.

An email sent on January 4 by the club to the event's organisers three days before the scheduled program mentioned that the club was not in a position to hold the event due to "unavoidable circumstances". The mail further says that "to ensure cordial atmosphere in the club" the event had been cancelled.

The organisers of the event allege that the club was pressurised by the Kolkata Police to call off the event to avoid a law and order situation in the state. 

Tarek Fatah, one of the speakers at the event, wrote on Twitter,

"The club had agreed to hold the event. On December 30, an executive meeting was called and we were asked to drop the word 'Kashmir' from the event keeping in mind the issue being sensitive. We had agreed on that and we got new passes and posters printed without the name Kashmir on it. On January 4, suddenly we get a mail from the club authorities that they have called off the event. We had paid the advance too. Now it is impossible to shift the venue in such a short notice," said Colonel Diptangshu Chaudhury, organiser of the event.

He claims that the club succumbed to the pressure from the Kolkata Police and called off the event. "We have learnt that a meeting took place between the authorities and senior officials of Kolkata Police. The senior officials asked the authorities to cancel the event," Colonel Chaudhury alleged. 

However, the Additional Commissioner of Kolkata Police (I), Vineet Goyal said, "The club had earlier sought permission from us. But, today they informed us that the event stands cancelled." When asked whether Kolkata Police had raised any objections to the event taking place, he refused to comment on it.

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