The Bengal government has asked the BJP to approach local authorities regarding arrangements for “Parivartan Rathyatras (chariot rallies for change)” that the party wanted to take out from five different places in the state with the first one set to roll out from Nadia’s Nabadwip on February 6.
The BJP had on Monday sought an appointment with chief secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay to discuss the modalities for those processions. However, the government asked the BJP on Tuesday to take up the matter with “the appropriate authorities at local levels”.
“Necessary permission regarding maintenance of law and order during assemblies and processions are issued by the district administration concerned. A blanket permission is never issued,” a state government official said on condition of anonymity.
BJP leader Sayantan Basu acknowledged the party had received the state government’s letter late on Tuesday and added that applications would be sent to all the district authorities concerned.
“We will send letters to the SPs and DMs of the districts about the route our rathyatras will cover,” he said. Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh said if permission for the rallies was denied, his party would move court against it.
The BJP in its application to the chief secretary said the party would be organising “peaceful political programmes” between February and March this year. The BJP had also stated five raths or chariots would crisscross the state for over 20-25 days.
The first rathyatra will start from Nabadwip on February 6 and is scheduled to be inaugurated by BJP national president J.P. Nadda. Over the next few days, similar processions will roll out from Cooch Behar, Kakdwip, Jhargram and Tarapith. Nadda and Union home minister Amit Shah will inaugurate the rallies.
“The idea is to bring out five different processions, one for each of our organisational districts. The rallies will cover all the 294 Assembly constituencies of the state,” a BJP source said.
The party had planned similar rallies before the Lok Sabha polls but the state government had denied permission for the programmes. The BJP had moved Calcutta High Court which had denied BJP permission for the rathyatras. The party had then moved the Supreme Court that upheld the high court’s order.
According to a section of the BJP, the party wants the state government to deny permission this time, too. The party leaders believe this would help them create ruckus and reap political gains ahead of the polls.
“If we are not allowed to go ahead with the rathyatras, we will be able to tell the people that the Trinamul government is trying to gag Opposition voices,” a BJP leader said.
A BJP leader said the party had its Plan B ready in case permission was denied to the rathyatras.
On Wednesday, a PIL was filed at Calcutta High Court to deny permission to the yatras. The application said that the processions could lead to disruption in law and order. The court will hear the matter on Thursday.
