The BJP called off its president Amit Shah’s scheduled rally in Jadavpur, West Bengal, on Monday, claiming that the State government denied them permission to land his chopper and address a public meeting in the Lok Sabha constituency.
The BJP accused the government of “replacing democracy with dictatorship”. It said the Election Commission of India (ECI) had become a “mute spectator” to the Trinamool Congress’s alleged undemocratic means to target the party.
The TMC, however, rebutted the allegation, claiming the BJP cancelled the rally fearing a low turnout.
“The allegation is completely baseless. We have nothing to do with it. They themselves have cancelled the rally as they were afraid that it might turn out to be a flop show,” TMC secretary general Partha Chatterjee said.
According to BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, the district administration unnecessarily delayed permission to land Mr. Shah’s chopper, claiming that they were yet to get a clearance from the Public Works Department.
“The district magistrate has been acting as a party cadre of the TMC. They kept on denying us permission for Mr. Shah’s chopper. Later, they also denied us permission to hold the rally. This is not only undemocratic but also shows the TMC’s authoritarian mindset,” Mr. Vijayvargiya said.
According to Bengal BJP sources, the BJP had planned to go ahead with the Baruipur rally despite the government’s denial of permission, but the landowner, who had rented out his property for the meeting, withdrew his consent at the last minute.
“It was due to pressure from the TMC that the owner withdrew his consent,” a State BJP leader said.
The party’s media head and Rajya Sabha member, Anil Baluni, asserted that he along with other workers and members would hold protests and move the ECI against the TMC’s “atrocities“.
BJP, TMC workers clash
Following the cancellation of the rally, clashes broke out between workers of the two parties in Baruipur.
State BJP chief Dilip Ghosh said his party workers were thrashed by TMC activists.
“TMC activists had been taunting our party men over the cancellation of the rally. When our party workers protested, they were beaten up by the ruling party cadres,” he alleged.
Denying the charge, a senior TMC leader said, “The saffron party’s claims are bereft of truth. It was the BJP workers who ransacked one of our local offices and attacked our party men.”
A state government official said a huge police contingent had been stationed in Baruipur to thwart any untoward incident.
Mamata's 'dictatorship' on full play: Javadekar
Earlier in the day, senior BJP leader and Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said Ms. Banerjee’s dictatorship was on full play in the State.
“This is murder of democracy. The ECI should take cognizance of the matter. If important leaders are not allowed to hold rallies, what is the meaning of elections,” he told reporters in New Delhi.
Mr. Javadekar also slammed the state police for arresting a BJP youth wing worker, who shared a social media post 'mocking' Banerjee.
TMC leaders such as Derek O’Brien have shared “uglier” posts but no action was taken against them, he claimed.
Nine seats in West Bengal will go to the polls in the last phase of the general election on May 19.
