Police deny permission to BJP’s 3-day sit-in protest in Kolkata on Sandeshkhali issue

Kolkata, Feb 26 (IANS) The Kolkata Police have denied permission to the West Bengal unit of BJP to organise a marathon sit-in demonstration in Kolkata from February 27 to February 29 to protest against the alleged sexual harassment and violence against women in Sandeshkhali by some local Trinamool Congress leaders.

The BJP leadership had plans to bring a section of the women protesting in Sandeshkhali to the sit-in demonstration dais which was to be set up at the base of the Mahatma Gandhi statue in central Kolkata.

State BJP sources said that since the land on which the programme was scheduled is under the jurisdiction of the Army, permission on this count was sought from the office of the Eastern Command.

“Although, the defence authorities have provided us with the requisite permission, the Kolkata Police have denied the same. The police have stated that the use of loudspeakers was not allowed in the area,” said a state committee member of the BJP.

BJP’s IT cell chief and its central observer for West Bengal, Amit Malviya too confirmed the denial of police permission.

In his post on X, Amit Malviya claimed that the denial of police permission was arbitrary considering that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee sat on a two-day dharna at the same spot earlier this month “while Kolkata Police made arrangements for it”.

The BJP leader also said that the party will approach the appropriate court to challenge the permission denial by the city police.

“How is Mamata Banerjee anymore equal than the BJP leadership? If at all, Suvendu Adhikari defeated her in Nandigram. The BJP will fight it out in the Court,” his post read.

–IANS

src/dpb