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Bengal Police denies permission to Rahul Gandhi’s Nyay Yatra meeting in Siliguri
A senior Congress leader said that uncertainty also looms over Rahul Gandhi’s programme at Falakata in Alipurduar on Sunday
A public meeting of the Congress, which was scheduled to be held in Siliguri in north Bengal as a part of the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra on Sunday, had to be cancelled after police refused to give permission.
A senior Congress leader said that uncertainty also looms over Gandhi’s programme at Falakata in Alipurduar on Sunday.
“Two examinations, including a police recruitment test, are scheduled on January 28. Permission to play loudspeakers can’t be given. These exams were scheduled long back,” said C Sudhakar, the police chief of Siliguri.
The Congress’ Nyay Yatra entered West Bengal from Assam on Thursday. The yatra, which halted for two days on January 26 and 27 in West Bengal, is scheduled to start again on Sunday. It would cover Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, Uttar Dinajpur, and Darjeeling before entering Bihar on January 29.
“On January 25, Gandhi had to go back to Delhi by cutting short his trip. He is scheduled to rejoin the yatra on January 28,” said Amitabha Chakraborty, Congress leader.
West Bengal chief minister is also scheduled to reach north Bengal on Sunday. She is expected to hold a series of meetings in various districts including Cooch Behar, North Dinajpur, South Dinajpur, Malda, Murshidabad and Nadia till around February 2.
“We submitted the details of the programme and route chart of the Nyay Yatra to the authorities long before. It is a big question for us as to why the state administration is creating such hassles. We are not getting the expected cooperation from the state administration in West Bengal. We had asked for permission to hold a meeting on January 28. Permission was denied,” Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Congress MP, told reporters.
“Chowdhury has been attacking the TMC supremo and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee in a language spoken by the BJP. They don’t even show the courtesy of informing the chief minister before the yatra entered the state. He is acting like an agent of the BJP. There is a recruitment exam of the police in Siliguri that day and hence such huge arrangements couldn’t be made. That’s why permission was denied by the administration,” Kunal Ghosh, TMC spokesperson told media persons.
Gandhi is likely to lead a rally from Thana mor to Airview mor in Siliguri following which he will travel to Bagdogra. Thereafter he will reach North Dinajpur, Congress leaders said. He is also expected to lead a rally in Jalpaiguri as a part of the Nyay Yatra.
“The Congress hasn’t applied for permission to hold any rally in Alipurduar district,” said Y Raghuvanshi, superintendent of police (SP) of Alipurduar.
This comes amidst tension between the two INDIA alliance bloc members – the Congress and the TMC– over the seat sharing impasse. Even though TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee has alleged that she wasn’t informed by the Congress about the yatra entering Bengal, the Congress said she was invited.
“She was invited. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had written to her. All our leadership, including Sonia ji, Rahul ji and Kharge ji, want the TMC to join the yatra. The yatra will assume greater significance especially if the chief minister joins the yatra for 10-15 minutes,” Jairam Ramesh, Congress general secreatary in charge of communications, told reporters in Bagdogra on Thursday.
