Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury equates BJP-ruled states of Manipur and Assam with Bengal

Administration refused permission for public meetings, saying there is an exam for police recruitment on that day, says a Congress functionary

Rahul Gandhi reaches Basirhat as part of his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra on Thursday.: Main Uddin Chisti 

TT Bureau, Siliguri/Calcutta,  27.01.24 : The Congress on Friday tried to equate the BJP-ruled states of Manipur and Assam with Bengal where the Trinamul Congress is in power after the administrations of at least four districts in the state refused to give permission to the Grand Old Party for public meetings and other gatherings during Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.

“Ever since the yatra commenced, we have been facing deterrents. In Manipur and Assam, we were not granted permission and even police were used to stop the yatra. After it reached Bengal, we sought permission for a public meeting in Siliguri and the administration denied it. We fail to understand why the administration here is not cooperating with us,” Bengal Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said in Siliguri on Friday.

On Thursday morning, Rahul had entered Bengal from Assam through Basirhat. He halted there for a few minutes, then headed for Cooch Behar and made a round in the town. After 90 minutes, Rahul left for Delhi.

The yatra will resume on January 28 when Rahul is scheduled to join it again.

The Congress leaders said in Jalpaiguri town, where the Wayanad MP would reach on Sunday, they had sought permission to host a lunch for him and his associates on a ground.

“The administration refused permission, saying there is an exam for police recruitment on that day,” said a Congress functionary.

In Darjeeling district, the Congress had initially planned a public meeting of Rahul Gandhi at Mahatma Gandhi More in Siliguri.

On Saturday, it was decided that AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge would also attend the meeting. The Congress approached the administration for permission to hold the meeting on any ground in or around the town. But the authorities refused permission.

“In Manipur, the state government didn’t permit us to hold a public meeting on public land and eventually, the meeting was held on a private plot. In Assam, the government created many obstructions. But their non-cooperation didn’t work and the yatra moved ahead with huge support from people. In Bengal, if the ruling party faces any problem, police take steps. But in our case, we were denied permission, despite the fact that we have handed over Rahul Gandhi’s itinerary to them well in advance,” Chowdhury said.

The district administrations of Malda and Murshidabad have refused to grant permission to the Congress for public meetings, saying Madhyamik exams would commence on February 2.

In Murshidabad, the Congress had sought permission to use the stadium for a public meeting.

“The administration has informed us that the chief minister will attend a government event at the same venue on the same date. We mentioned an alternative venue but still, didn’t get the permission,” said a Congress leader.

Trinamul’s spokesperson and party’s state general secretary Kunal Ghosh said Adhir Ranjan Choudhury was acting like the BJP’s agent. “When he (verbally) attacks Trinamul like the BJP, it seems he doesn’t remember the INDIA alliance. There is an exam for police (recruitment) and so, the administration didn’t give permission. Also, the Madhyamik exams are ahead,” he said.

Amit Malviya, the co-observer of the BJP in Bengal, wrote on X: “There is no such compulsion because exams start on 2nd Feb and the yatra was to enter the Siliguri region on 28th January. But it is interesting to see the Congress suffer from ‘Stockholm syndrome’ and continue to plead Mamata Banerjee to join the Yatra for just 5 minutes.”