BJP may move Calcutta HC against state’s rathyatra decision

Kolkata: Denied permission by Mamata Banerjee government to hold Rath Yatra in West Bengal, the state BJP is likely to move the Calcutta high court again on Monday. This was indicated by state BJP president Dilip Ghosh on Sunday after holding a meeting with the party leaders in the morning.

According to him, the Trinamul Congress government’s refusal to allow the BJP’s grand event is creating an environment for the imposition of President’s Rule in the state. On Saturday, the state government informed the state BJP that it would not allow Rath Yatra in the state.

Mr Ghosh said, “We are looking into the option of moving to the court. We are getting ready. Possibly on Monday we will move to the court. We will also hit the street to protest the destruction of democracy and looting and democratic rights. The state government is not allowing us to take out Rath Yatra in a vindictive way.”

He added, “They claimed that communal clashes may take place and tension may spread which will create law and order problem. But they have not referred the time and place where such things may happen. They have admitted that they do not have the power to run the administration and maintain the law and order situation.”

Mr Ghosh argued, “That is why they are anticipating these. An environment to impose Article 356 is going to create.” Countering him Trinamul minister Sadhan Pande claimed, “A female Hindutva leader was asking the people to carry swords in one hand while books on Lord Ram on the other.”

He alleged, “When the use of swords has come to light, it has become clear that it will be a communal rally where the people will be misled and divided. In such a situation, the administration has taken a tough stand. The BJP can go to court against this stand. Already they have knocked the doors of the division bench.”

The state consumer affairs minister noted, “Now they will move to the single bench. If they fail there, then they will move to the Supreme Court. The bottomline is that the BJP is yet to learn the lesson after facing such a massive political defeat recently, that they should not get into such activities.”

CPI(M) MLA Tanmoy Bhattacharya however reasoned that the Trinamul government only gave oxygen to the BJP by refusing the permission.

“At present the BJP does not have the strength to hold Rath Yatra in the state. It is not a Rath Yatra anyway. The Trinamul is trying to make the BJP significant by denying the permission. Thus the BJP will take out small rallies at places to attract attention,” he observed.