Kolkata High Court to hear BJP's case on rally permission at 2 pm

Kolkata High Court will hear BJP's case on rally permission at 2.00 pm today.

BJP's fight to hold a rally outside Victoria House — Mamata Bannerjee's favourite venue — dragged on as it moved the Calcutta High Court once again after its permission was rejected by the fire brigade and the city corporation.

This is the third time in 10 days that BJP had to go to court to seek permission to hold its Sunday rally.

While the West Bengal fire department said that BJP's permission was denied due to 'deficiency' in the party's application while the Kolkata police objected saying that BJP National Secretary Amit Shah's presence will cause problems in handling traffic.

"It has been decided by the KMC authority in the light of a report submitted by a group of engineers that the application suffers from deficiency and as such the prayer of the petitioner may not be acceded to as decided by the KMC," Commissioner of KMC Khalil Ahmed said in his communication to the BJP.

Criticising the KMC's stand, state BJP president Rahul Sinha said that the TMC was afraid of the BJP and by "declaring undeclared emergency, it was trying to gag the voice of the Opposition". "On the instruction of the chief minister, the authorities are refusing permission to hold the meeting," he alleged.

"We shall move the Calcutta High Court again tomorrow as we have full faith on the Judiciary. We hope to get justice allowing us to hold the rally beside Victoria House," Sinha said. 

TMC leader and West Bengal CM Mamata Bannerjee holds the annual martyr's day rally organised by her party on July 21 at the same venue.