West Bengal Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury expressed frustration on Friday, stating that the party faced challenges in obtaining permission for certain public meetings during the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in the state. Chowdhury claimed that the schedule for the yatra was submitted to the state administration well in advance but encountered difficulties, particularly in Siliguri, where permission for a public meeting was denied, citing exams.
He emphasized that the yatra, led by Rahul Gandhi, was a movement aimed at safeguarding the Constitution and was unrelated to the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Chowdhury expressed disappointment with the lack of cooperation from the state government and highlighted that the yatra's route and itinerary remained unchanged except for minor modifications.
In response, the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) refuted the allegations, asserting that the administration in West Bengal operates independently of political influences. TMC MP Santanu Sen suggested that the decision to deny permission might be due to ongoing board examinations in schools.
TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh accused Adhir Chowdhury of echoing the language of the BJP and labeled him as an agent of the saffron party. Ghosh dismissed any TMC involvement in the decision to deny yatra permission.
The BJP, on the other hand, seized the opportunity to criticize the TMC, suggesting that the Congress was now experiencing "authoritarianism" from its ally. BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar questioned whether the TMC considered West Bengal its own property to decide who could hold a rally.
Amit Malviya, BJP co-incharge for West Bengal, claimed that Mamata Banerjee's decision to deny permission for Rahul Gandhi's yatra was a significant blow to the I.N.D.I Alliance. He argued that the excuse of exams as the reason for denial was misleading, stating that exams were scheduled to start on February 2, while the yatra was set to enter Siliguri on January 28. Malviya suggested that Mamata Banerjee's decision reflected nervousness and a desire to contest all seats in West Bengal to stay relevant after the election results.
In summary, the political landscape in West Bengal is marked by tensions between the Congress, TMC, and BJP, with accusations and counter-accusations over the denial of permission for the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.
(With Agency Inputs)
