Nyay Yatra facing problems in getting permission for rallies in West Bengal: Congress
Siliguri (WB), Jan 26: West Bengal Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Friday said the party encountered difficulties in obtaining permission to organise certain public meetings during the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in the state, prompting a strong retort from the ruling TMC, which accused him of echoing BJP's rhetoric.
Speaking to reporters in Siliguri, Chowdhury said the schedule of the yatra was submitted to the state administration long ago.
"In some places, we are not getting permission to organise public meetings, citing exams. The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra has faced problems in the Northeast, including Assam, and now it is facing problems in TMC-ruled West Bengal as well," he said.
"We were denied permission to hold a public meeting in Siliguri. We expected better cooperation from the state government. The route and the itinerary of the yatra remain the same except for a few changes," he added.
Asserting that the Rahul Gandhi-led yatra was a movement to safeguard the Constitution, Chowdhury claimed that it had nothing to do with the Lok Sabha elections.
Speaking on the issue on Thursday night, Chowdhury had said they thought they would get "relaxations" in some places in West Bengal for public meetings but the administration "is saying that they can't give it".
The yatra, which began in Manipur on January 14, entered West Bengal from Assam on Thursday, and took a two-day break. It will resume on January 28.
The ruling Trinamool Congress, however, claimed that the administration in West Bengal is free of political influences.
"Adhir Chowdhury is responsible for the INDIA alliance falling apart in West Bengal. Second, all opposition parties conduct programmes in the state, nobody faces any problems. The administration must have taken the decision as there are board examinations in schools," TMC MP Santanu Sen said.
TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh accused Chowdhury of speaking the language of the BJP.
"Adhir Chowdhury is an agent of the BJP. He speaks their language. Today also he is making those allegations on the instructions of the saffron camp. The TMC has nothing to do with the permission of the yatra," he said.
Taking a dig, the BJP said Congress was getting a taste of "authoritarianism" from its ally.
"Does the TMC own West Bengal that they will decide who will get permission to hold a rally? Now, the Congress, which complains against the BJP, is getting a taste of authoritarianism from its own ally TMC," BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar said.
Reacting to the development, BJP co-in-charge for West Bengal and IT department head Amit Malviya said in a post on X, "Mamata Banerjee's decision to deny Rahul Gandhi's yatra permission is like the last nail in the coffin of I.N.D.I Alliance. The decision is intended to humiliate the Congress. The excuse that it has been done in view of exams is a sham."
"There is no such compulsion because exams start on 2nd Feb and the Yatra was to enter Siliguri region on 28th Jan! A nervous Mamata Banerjee is doing all this in the hope that she can contest all seats in West Bengal, to remain relevant after results," Malviya said.
"But it is interesting to see the Congress suffer from 'stockholm syndrome' and continue to plead Mamata Banerjee to join the yatra for just 5 minutes." He said.
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WB BJP chief urges state admin to act against violence perpetrators irrespective of party colours
Kolkata (PTI): A day after the BJP's sweeping victory in the West Bengal assembly polls, state party president Samik Bhattacharya on Tuesday urged the administration to act firmly against perpetrators of post-poll violence irrespective of political affiliation.
Addressing reporters after a meeting of the party's top leadership at its Bidhannagar office, Bhattacharya said strict action must be taken against those indulging in violence and warned that BJP workers found involved in such activities would be expelled from the party.
"Post-poll violence would not be tolerated in any form. If anyone from our party is found involved, we will be compelled to remove them," he said.
The BJP leader also appealed to Chief Secretary Dushyant Nariala to ensure prompt administrative intervention wherever incidents of violence are reported.
"I would like to urge the administration to take necessary action wherever such incidents occur. This is precisely why the people of West Bengal have chosen the BJP," he said.
Bhattacharya thanked the electorate for the party's emphatic mandate and expressed gratitude to migrant workers who returned to the state to cast their votes despite logistical challenges.
According to party sources, a high-level meeting was held at the BJP's Bidhannagar office on Tuesday, attended by central observers and senior state leaders, to discuss measures to prevent violence and maintain law and order in the post-result scenario.
The discussions also focused on ensuring that there is no repeat of the violence reported after the 2021 assembly elections, when the BJP had accused the ruling Trinamool Congress of targeting its workers.
The BJP has secured 207 of the 293 seats where polls were held, securing a two-thirds majority and paving the way for its first government in West Bengal. The Trinamool Congress has won 80 seats.
Bhattacharya also appealed to party workers to maintain restraint and not let the victory celebrations turn disruptive.
"I urge our workers to remain peaceful, stay happy, and fulfil the responsibilities given by the party. Do not hurt anyone in the name of celebration, and do not hurt anyone's sentiments," he said.
