Mamata Govt. slapping false cases on BJP: Rijiju

After his assertion that the Mamata Banerjee government was misusing power to 'torture' political opponents, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju on Monday said that the state police was acting under the pressure of politicians as evident by the 'fake cases' launched against his party leaders for carrying arms during Ram Navami processions.

"False cases against BJP should not happen. People should not be tortured. That is what I have said. Our party workers were conducting peaceful processions on Ram Navami. But the state government has slapped false cases on BJP workers. The police force should not be misused," he told the media here.

"I was shown the picture of the mayor openly walking around with a sword during the Ram Navami processions. No cases were registered against him. So these differences should not happen," he added.

Rijiju on Sunday alleged that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was running a "dictatorship" and "misusing" power to torture common people and political opponents.

"They are running a dictatorship in the state. Fake cases have been filed against our party (BJP) leaders," Rijiju told media persons at Suri, the headquarters of Birbhum district.

The Union Minister claimed that his party leaders had not carried any unlicensed guns during the Ram Navami processions.

An FIR was lodged against West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh and other BJP leaders for taking out a rally with swords on the occasion of Ram Navami last Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the Birbhum district police has refused to give permission to the BJP to hold a rally on April 11 on the occasion of "Bir Hanuman Jayanti".

The district administration rejected the petition filed by the BJP's district unit on March 31. Today the organisers of the rally handed over a memorandum in this regard to the minister.