The Cooch Behar district superintendent of police in his report at the court on Thursday had says that the rally may lead to communal disturbances
In a major set back to the BJP, the Calcutta High Court on Thursday turned down the plea of BJP to take out 'Ganatantra Bachao Yatra' or the rath yatra that was supposed to be flagged off by party national president Amit Shah on Friday.
The Cooch Behar district superintendent of police in his report at the court on Thursday had said that the rally may lead to communal disturbances.
A bench of Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty said that the rally would cover 42 constituencies and would last for not one or two days but for over a month and intelligence report said that there was a probability that members of a particular community could be hurt. The next hearing on the matter is on January 9, 2019.
BJP leader Jayprakash Majumder said that they had informed the district administration about the rally on October 29 but they did not pay any heed to it. "We had written to the Home Secretary, Chief Secretary, DG but all fell on deaf ears so we had to move court. After all this time, they have produced a report dated December 5 saying that there was a probability of a communal clash," Majumder said.
BJP national general secretary and Bengal co-observer Kailash Vijayvargiya said that they would move the division bench on Friday and if need be, will go to the Supreme Court as well. "We are waiting for the decision of the court and after the order arrives, we will meet and then let you know what our course of action will be," Vijayvargiya said.
In another development, state BJP Dilip Ghosh's vehicle has been attacked on Thursday, in Cooch Behar. "I had been there to a temple to seek blessings ahead of tomorrow's rally. While returning, at the Sitai crossing, my vehicle was attacked. Seven vehicles were damaged, some of our workers have got injured. It shows there is no democracy in Bengal. So our rally to save democracy is all the more required," Ghosh said.
He added that the preparation of the rally was all done, people had come over, money had been spent and vehicles had been booked. "We will carry out a meeting and if permission is granted, we will start the rally," said Ghosh.
North Bengal development minister Rabindranath Ghosh, however, said that it was a result of their faction fight. "There are two or three groups of BJP supporters here. When leader of one group's favourite comes, members of the other group attack him. This is exactly what has happened," Ghosh told mediapersons.
About the rath yatra, he said that Ghosh had asked the BJP members to carry sticks with them. "What does that mean? It means they are trying to create trouble. We have also asked our men not to take the hit sitting down. They will snatch the sticks from them and beat the BJP workers in return," Ghosh said.
Stands Cancelled
- BJP’s Jayprakash Majumder said that they had informed the district administration about Friday’s rath yatra on October 29, but no one paid any heed to it then.
- The HC denied permission for the BJP rally after a cop moved court saying it could lead to communal clashes.
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