It was helicopter controversy once again with the Bengal administration allegedly refusing landing permission to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s chopper at Raiganj where he was scheduled to address a BJP rally on Sunday.
Adityanath, who was supposed to attend twin rallies at Raiganj in North Dinajpur and Balurghat in adjacent South Dinajpur district, finally addressed the public over telephone saying there was no democracy in Bengal where the Opposition voices were gagged and their workers were killed at will by the ruling Trinamool Congress cadres.
“Bengal has no democracy where the Opposition parties like the BJP are denied space for political activities,” Adityanath said adding how the BJP workers were attacked and victimised by the Trinamool Government throughout Bengal. “I will not stop here and come back to address rallies in Bengal,” despite such hindrances being posed by the State Government he said.
Hours later a senior officer in Yogi’s office referring to the incident said “it was the UP Chief Minister’s popularity that forced Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to deny landing permission to his helicopter.”
According to State BJP leadership Yogi’s chopper was scheduled to land at Raiganj from where he would travel to Balurghat by road. However “in the final hours the permission was cancelled by the State Government,” Bengal BJP leaders said.
Similar incidents took place earlier with the proposed landing of BJP president Amit Shah’s helicopter at Kanthi in East Midnapore district, party sources complained.
An angry band of BJP supporters subsequently gheraoed the office of the District Magistrate of South Dinajpur for denying landing permission to the UP Chief Minister’s helicopter.
Adityanath’s rally Purulia was also called off for want of permission of landing of his helicopter party men complained.