Mamata Banerjee along with ministers Malay Ghatak(left) and Swapan Debnath during a programme in Asansol. Mamata Banerjee along with ministers Malay Ghatak(left) and Swapan Debnath during a programme in Asansol.

BJP president Amit Shah cannot hold a rally outside Victoria Memorial on November 30, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation has said, citing “deficiency” in the party’s application in this regard.

The BJP has now decided to move the Kolkata High Court on Friday, seeking “justice and restoration of democracy”.

“It has been decided by the KMC authority in the light of a report submitted by a group of engineers that the application suffers from deficiency and as such the prayer of the petitioner may not be acceded to as decided by the KMC,” Commissioner of KMC Khalil Ahmed said in his communication to the saffron party.

The city police had earlier objected to Shah’s meeting, suggesting it would inconvenience commuters since a major traffic intersection is located at the venue, which is only a few metres away from Tipu Sultan Masjid.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, however, holds an annual rally every July for her party at the same venue.

Shahi Imam of the mosque Syed Md Nurur Rahman Barkati, who had written to Banerjee opposing the rally, also met her Wednesday night and claimed that the CM assured him of not allowing the BJP to hold the rally near Victoria Memorial.

Besides writing to the CM, Barkati sent letters to the Kolkata Police Commissioner and the Mayor of Kolkata Municipal Corporation.

The letters, referring to the proposed rally, said it would be addressed by a “controversial speaker” and that permission should not be given “to any communal forces to organise meetings near mosque, temple, gurudwara etc”.

Slamming the Trinamool Congress government, the BJP called the denial of permission from the KMC as “dirty politics played by the CM who harps upon democracy and democratic rights”.

“We are not surprised. This was expected out of the KMC and the fire department (also said no to the rally) which work towards that the appeasement of the Chief Minister. Both the bodies have objection with the stage and have stated silly reasons such as it does not leave a proper passage and that the plan was not signed. We understand it is the Chief Minister who is doing these from the background and we will move the High Court tomorrow,” Sinha said told reporters here.

He said the party was ready to put up the stage according the specifications of the KMC and the fire department, and claimed that the government approved decorator, who was in Ranchi, had to be flown in overnight because the KMC wanted his signature.

However, Sinha stuck to the party’s decision that the meeting would be conducted at the same place. “I have talked to Amit Shah today and explained him the situation. I have told him that we will fight it to the finish and he too had said that he would definitely come here on November 30,” he added.

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