Kolkata police grants permission for BJP president Amit Shah's August 11 rally

While speculations have been rife that the West Bengal government has denied permission to BJP president Amit Shah for his August 11 rally in Kolkata, the latest statement released by Kolkata police is contradicting the same.

Amidst rising tension over an ongoing BJP-Opposition face-off, the Kolkata police on Wednesday said, "Some unwarranted speculation in social media about denial of permission to a political party on 11 August has come to our notice".

"It is to clarify that on request, permission for the meeting has already been granted," the statement added.

Some unwarranted speculation in social media about denial of permission to a political party on 11 August has come to our notice.
It is to clarify that on request permission for meeting has already been granted.

— Kolkata Police (@KolkataPolice) August 1, 2018

The political battle between the Saffron party and Mamata Banerjee-led TMC took a dramatic turn in the wake of the release of National Register of Citizens (NRC) draft in Assam. Elimination of around 40 lakh names from the NRC draft has been taking the entire country by storm.

Read | NRC: Mamata caught on the wrong foot as BJP finds goose with golden eggs

Talking about Shah's August 11 rally, the BJP earlier claimed that it was denied permission by the Kolkata Police to hold a political campaign in Rani Rashmoni Avenue.

According to BJP’s West Bengal Youth Morcha president Debjit Sarkar, he had submitted an application with the Kolkata Police and embarked five places in the city as potential venues for August 11 rally. Sarkar further said that they will move court if police deny permission.

Shah, on the other hand, took a dig at the Trinamool Congress government, saying that he will definitely go to Kolkata and it does not matter for him whether he is granted permission or not. "If the state government wants, it can arrest me," he added.

It does not matter whether I get permission or not, I will definitely go to Kolkata. If the state government wants, it can arrest me: BJP President Amit Shah (file pic) pic.twitter.com/n3V39EWSww

— ANI (@ANI) August 1, 2018

The ruling TMC in its response said, " BJP and its national President have become nervous, tense. Their programme for Aug 3 in Kolkata was promptly granted permission. For their Aug 11 program, they only just sent a letter and permission granted".

Read | BJYM files police case after Mamata Banerjee's 'Civil War, Bloodbath' statement

This will be Amit Shah’s first visit to the state post-release of the contentious National Register of Citizens (NRC) draft in Assam.

Shah had last visited West Bengal in June, where he had lashed out at the Mamata Banerjee government for “unleashing violence on political rivals”.