Days of ‘Anti-People TMC Govt’ in West Bengal Numbered: UP CM

UP CM Yogi Adityanath was scheduled to hold a rally in Balurghat and Raiganj in West Bengal on 3 February.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

(Photo: ANI)

The days of “anti-people TMC government” in West Bengal are numbered, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said while addressing a rally in the state’s South Dinajpur district via audio link on Sunday, 3 February.

“They didn't allow me to attend the rally but cannot stop my voice,” Adityanath said, adding that the way Bengal’s administration is functioning, it is just not acceptable.

His remarks came after the Mamata Banerjee-led government in Bengal reportedly denied Adityanath permission to hold his scheduled rallies in the state on Sunday.

The UP chief minister who was scheduled to address the "Ganatantra Bachao Rally" at Balurghat in South Dinajpur district and Raiganj in North Dinajpur district, at 1pm and 3pm respectively on Sunday could not attend either of the rallies after permission was denied for his chopper to land near the venue.

"Mamata Banerjee must accept that you don’t misuse administration in a democracy the way it's being done in West Bengal. The way Bengal’s administration is functioning, it is just not acceptable," news agency ANI quoted UP CM as saying.

According to PTI, BJP workers had, earlier during the day, staged a protest outside the South Dinajpur district magistrate's house over the denial of permission for UP CM’s chopper to land in Balurghat.

"We are yet to get permission to land the chopper. So our party workers are staging a protest rally outside the DM's residence demanding permission to land the chopper," President of BJP’s West Bengal unit Dilip Ghosh told PTI.

"The TMC government didn't allow me to come and meet you all. That is why I had to resort to Digital India of Modi-ji to address you. This TMC government is anti-people, anti-democratic and have compromised with national security," Adityanath said, while addressing the rally via audio link.

The TMC government is afraid of the BJP as it very well knows that its days in Bengal are numbered, he said.

Alleging that the TMC government had tried to stop Durga Puja in West Bengal in order to pursue its appeasement policy, Adityanath urged BJP workers to fight hard in order to ensure that the party forms the next government in the state.

"Mamata Banerjee should remember that she can not misuse the government and its agencies in the state. It is shameful that government officials are acting as TMC cadres in the state," he said.

On Saturday, 2 February, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had to cut short his speech at a rally in the state’s North 24 Parganas district after a stampede-like situation broke out at the venue.

Several women and children fainted during the stampede-like situation and were rushed to the hospital for primary treatment, a police officer had told PTI.

Rallies in West Bengal are being held at a time when the ruling Trinamool Congress in the state has upped the ante against BJP, and called for uprooting the Modi government in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The TMC had on 19 January organised a mega opposition rally, which was attended by leaders of 24 parties from across the country, including the Congress.

TMC had alleged that the CBI was being "misused" by the Centre to harass opposition parties.

(With inputs from ANI and PTI)