West Bengal: Kolkata Police denies permission to Amit Shah's rally

Kolkata, Nov 20: The Kolkata Police today denied permission to the BJP to hold a rally, scheduled to be addressed by its president Amit Shah, in the city on November 30, party's state chief Rahul Sinha said here.

Kolkata Police Commissioner Surojit Kar Purokayastha had held a meeting with the BJP's Bengal leadership yesterday on the directive of the Calcutta High Court to discuss the matter.

"Today the Kolkata Police has informed the court and also us that the permission was not given," Sinha said, describing the development as "a desperate attempt by the TMC to stop the BJP from holding the rally."

"They are afraid of the growth of BJP. The Kolkata Police is citing reasons that we don't have KMC permission. Can the police show us that TMC had taken the KMC permission to hold their annual July 21 rally?" Sinha wondered.

Sinha said that he was hopeful of getting justice in the court, which the party had moved after the police refused permission. The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday had directed the city police commissioner to discuss the issue with the representatives of the state BJP and inform the court about the outcome.

The BJP alleged that though the TMC had been allowed to hold a meeting at the same venue, Esplanade area of the city, on July 21, the BJP was being denied permission.

PTI