UP CM's rallies: Permission denied for chopper to land in WB

The tussle between the TMC and BJP got uglier Sunday, with the West

Bengal government denying permission to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's chopper to land in the state and let

him address two scheduled rallies. Adityanath had to address the rallies via telephone. He later lashed out at the "anti-people" Trinamool Congress (TMC) government in the state, saying the days of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's rule were "numbered".

The UP chief minister and state BJP president Dilip Ghosh were scheduled to address 'Ganatantra Bacaho rallies' at Balurghat in South Dinajpur district and Raiganj in North Dinajpur district. The BJP hit out Banerjee, saying the state government denying permission to Adityanath's chopper to land in the state was a glaring case of "undemocratic and fascist behaviour".

Meanwhile, the TMC termed the allegations as "baseless" and accused the BJP of trying to disturb the peace of the state. Though the BJP had been allowed to organise the rallies, the district administration denied permission for Adityanath's chopper to land at both the places, party leaders said.

Following the denial of permission, the UP CM decided not to attend either of the rallies and instead addressed them telephonically, they said. "This is nothing new. Whenever we try to organise any rally, they create hurdles. This is shameful. But the TMC is

mistaken if it thinks it can stop us by not giving us permission for holding rallies or landing choppers," Ghosh told PTI. Addressing both the rallies through an audio link, the

Uttar Pradesh chief minister said, "The TMC government did not allow me to come and meet you all. That is why I had to resort to Digital India of Modi Ji to address you." Lashing out at the Mamata Banerjee government, he said, "This TMC government is anti-people and anti-democratic and has compromised with the national security."

"The TMC government is afraid of the BJP as it very well knows its days in the state are numbered," he said. Alleging that the Banerjee government had tried to stop Durga Puja in West Bengal to pursue its appeasement policy, Adityanath urged BJP workers to fight vigorously and ensure that the party forms the next government in the state.

"Mamata Banerjee should remember that she cannot misuse the government and its agencies in the state. It is shameful that the government officials are acting as TMC cadres in the state," he said.

Referring to the various central schemes which have been "stopped" from being implemented in the state, the BJP leader said the TMC had no right to deprive the people from benefits offered by the central government. Adityanath rued, "Bengal which had been the torch bearer of democracy in the country is forced to face the

dictatorship of the TMC." "We have to shatter this undemocratic model," he said.

The Uttar Pradesh chief minister also referred to former president Pranab Mukherjee, whom, he said, "the Government of India honoured with the Bharat Ratna". Referring to the BJP linkages with West Bengal, Adityanath said, "Jan Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee was from Bengal."

"West Bengal has been the cradle of the country's intellectual property, whether it be the tradition of Ram Krishna Mission or Swami Vivekananda," he added. Adityanth ended his telephonic speech with Vande Mataram and Jai Shri Ram.

Senior BJP leader and Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said his party would urge the Election Commission to

take note of this issue since Adityanath, chief minister of one the largest states of the country in terms of population, was not allowed to hold public meetings in West Bengal. "It is deeply regrettable and condemnable and true to the undemocratic record of Mamata Ji and the TMC. It is a glaring case of undemocratic and fascist behaviour. The only reason behind preventing Yogi Adityanath's chopper from landing is panic and a sense of fear as Bengalis are yearning for change," he said.

Earlier during Amit Shah's rally at Malda, permission to land his helicopter was also denied. His chopper later landed on private property owned by a resort. Union minister Smriti Irani's chopper was also not allowed to land at Jhargram to address a public rally.

The Trinamool Congress leadership termed the allegations against the state government as baseless and claimed the district administration may not have allowed to

land choppers after looking into security aspects. "The BJP has a habit of blaming the TMC for everything. They just want to disturb the peaceful atmosphere of the state," senior TMC leader Jyotipriyo Mullick said.

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