Archive · 11 Oct 2026
Academy Cancels Citizens’ Forum Press Conference on SIR
A group called the Citizens’ Forum planned to hold a news conference about SIR at the Academy of Fine Arts.
The academy later cancelled its permission.
Its message said the organisers had not explained the topic when they booked the room and that the conference was against the state or central government.
The forum held the meeting outside another cultural centre instead.
Organisers also said a planned October 13 convention could no longer be held at Kala Mandir.
They said it would take place at the outdoor location too.
Forum members argued that people have a right to speak about government actions.
An academy official said he only learned about the cancellation after the message had been sent.
The Academy of Fine Arts revoked permission for a Citizens’ Forum news conference about SIR, scheduled for October 10.
The academy’s cancellation message said the conference was against the state or central government and that organisers had not disclosed its topic when booking.
The forum held the news conference outside the Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee Centre for Culture and Research instead.
Organisers said their October 13 convention, initially booked at Kala Mandir, was also cancelled and would move to the same location.
Forum members criticised the cancellations as restrictions on democratic rights; an academy official said he believed the decision had been made elsewhere.
- Who
- The Citizens’ Forum and the Academy of Fine Arts.
- What
- The academy cancelled permission for the forum’s news conference about SIR; the forum held it elsewhere.
- When
- The news conference was scheduled for October 10, 2026; the convention is scheduled for October 13.
- Where
- The press conference was moved to an open space outside the Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee Centre for Culture and Research on AJC Bose Road, Kolkata.
- Why
- The academy’s message said the conference was against the state or central government and that the organisers had not disclosed its subject when booking.
Forum members and organisers
Academy’s stated reason
Why the permission was cancelled
Forum members and organisers
Forum members said they had completed the booking procedures and condemned the cancellation as an infringement of citizens’ democratic rights.
Academy’s stated reason
The academy’s message said the event was against the state or central government and that organisers had not disclosed its topic when booking.
Responsibility for the decision
Forum members and organisers
The forum’s members described the cancellation as part of a wider curtailment of democratic rights.
Academy’s stated reason
Academy joint secretary Kallol Bose said he had not known about the cancellation until late Friday and believed the decision had been made elsewhere.
- Original venue
- Academy of Fine Arts press room
- New news conference location
- Open space outside the Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee Centre for Culture and Research on AJC Bose Road
- Scheduled news conference date
- October 10, 2026
- Convention date
- October 13
- Convention venue originally booked
- Kala Mandir
- Convention venue after cancellation
- The location used for the news conference
- People organisers said were likely to attend
- Actor-activist Prakash Raj and former chief election commissioner Ashok Lavasa