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Regular-article-logo Saturday, 20 April 2024

BJP takes court tip to get rathyatra cleared

Mukul Roy leads team to Nabanna seeking talks, gets a 'received' stamp on his letter

Our Special Correspondent Calcutta Published 08.12.18, 09:50 PM
Trinamul leaders and workers sprinkle cow dung and “Gangajal” on Saturday to “purge” the site in Cooch Behar where the BJP held a rally on Friday.

Trinamul leaders and workers sprinkle cow dung and “Gangajal” on Saturday to “purge” the site in Cooch Behar where the BJP held a rally on Friday. Main Uddin Chisti

A BJP delegation led by Mukul Roy visited Nabanna on Saturday and submitted a letter seeking a meeting with top Bengal officials to finalise the party’s rathyatra.

“We are ready to hold a meeting to finalise the rathyatra as per the direction of Calcutta High Court. The letter was received and we are awaiting a response,” Roy, a former Trinamul Rajya Sabha member, said.

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On Thursday, a division bench of the court had asked the chief secretary, home secretary and the director-general of police to meet BJP leaders on the rathyatra by December 12 and inform the party about their decision by December 14.

Sources said the government is yet to decide whether to move the Supreme Court, but the BJP has filed a caveat in the apex court asking to be heard if an appeal is made.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee wasn’t present at Nabanna when the BJP team arrived. “The chief secretary, the home secretary and the DGP were in their offices when Roy arrived. A police officer took the letter, went to the DGP’s office and after 25 minutes, the received copy was handed over to Roy. In an ideal situation, Roy could have been allowed to meet any of the top three officials and submit his letter,” said an official.

Sources said the BJP leaders’ visit caught the administration off-guard. “It was decided to receive the letter but the team would be in the waiting room outside the 15-storey building,” said a source.

The letter says Roy, BJP vice-president Jay Prakash Majumdar, and general secretary Pratap Banerjee will hold the talks. “We can meet at an hour’s notice,” said Roy.

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