BJP protest in WB over permission denial to UP CM’s chopper; hits out at Mamata, TMC

Balurghat (WB), Feb. 3 (PTI): BJP workers on Sunday staged a protest outside the South Dinajpur district magistrate’s house over the denial of permission for the chopper of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to land here. The UP chief minister along with state BJP president Dilip Ghosh is scheduled to address two “Ganatantra Bacaho Rallies” at Balurghat in South Dinajpur district and Raiganj in North Dinajpur district. The rallies were scheduled to held at 1 PM and 3 PM respectively. Yogi Aditynath’s chopper was scheduled to land near the venue of the meeting at Balurghat. “We are yet to get permission to land the chopper. So our party workers are staging a protest rally outside the DM’s residence demanding permission to land the chopper,” Ghosh told PTI. According to state BJP sources, it has now been decided that the UP chief minister’s chopper will land at Raiganj BSF camp. He will then proceed from there to Balurghat by road to address the rallies. “He will return to Raiganj to address the next rally,” he said. The BJP hit out at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her TMC saying the state government denying permission to Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath’s chopper to land in the state was a glaring case of “undemocratic and fascist behaviour”. Senior BJP leader and Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said his party would urge the Election Commission to take notice of this issue since Adityanath, being the chief minister of one the largest state of the country in terms of population, was not allowed to hold public meetings in West Bengal. “It is deeply regrettable and condemnable and true to the undemocratic record of Mamata Ji and TMC. It is a glaring case of undemocratic and fascist behaviour. The only reason behind preventing Yogi Adityanath’s chopper from landing is panic and a sense of fear as Bengalis are yearning for change,” he said. “We would urge the Election Commission to take due notice of it as a popular chief minister of country’s largest state (in terms of population) was not allowed to hold a public meeting,” he said. Prasad mentioned that BJP president Amit Shah was also not allowed to hold a rally in West Bengal and there were attempts to disrupt the prime minister’s rally there as well. BJP sources said they would make the West Bengal government’s “attack” on the saffron party’s democratic rights a big issue and will approach various Institutions. A BJP delegation will meet the Election Commission on Monday, they said, adding the party will also raise the issue in the state through several media conferences. Following denial of permission to land his chopper, Adityanath decided not to attend either of the rallies and instead addressed them telephonically. “This is nothing new. Whenever we try to organise any rally, they create hurdles. This is shameful. But the TMC is mistaken if it thinks it can stop us by not giving us permission for holding rallies or landing chopper,” Ghosh told PTI. Addressing both the rallies through audio link, the Uttar Pradesh chief minister said, “The TMC government didn’t allow me to come and meet you all. That is why I had to resort to the Digital India of Modi Ji to address you.” Lashing out at the Mamata Banerjee government, the UP chief minister said, “This TMC government is anti-people and anti-democratic and has compromised with the national security.” “The TMC government is afraid of the BJP as it very well knows its days in the state are numbered,” he said. Alleging that the Banerjee government had tried to “stop” Durga Puja in West Bengal to pursue its appeasement policy, Adityanath urged BJP workers to fight vigorously and ensure that the party forms the next government in the state.