BJP warns of roadblocks in Delhi for Mamata if 'March to Lalbazar' disrupted

A day before the party's 'March to Lalbazar' (city police headquarters) programme, the BJP on Wednesday warned that they might set up road blockades in Delhi, where West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is currently, if their party workers are stopped from coming to the rally here.

"Please remember that our Chief Minister is in Delhi. If BJP workers are stopped anywhere from coming to the rally, there might be road blockades in Delhi as well as in West Bengal," BJP state General Secretary Sayantan Basu told reporters.

"We appeal to the state administration to let us conduct the 'March to Lalbazar' in a proper way. If our party activists are stopped in any way, there would be road blockades and agitation throughout the state," he said.

Protesting the law and order situation in the state and fake cases lodged against their party workers among other issues, the state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party would hold multiple protest rallies from various points here to the city police headquarters on Thursday afternoon.

According to the party leadership, three main rallies would start from Dharmatala Y channel in central Kolkata, Howrah station and College Square in northern part of the city at around 1 p.m.

"We have received proposals from our district leaders to conduct several other rallies in the city. Apart from the three main rallies, smaller rallies would be brought out by them," Basu said.

Urging police to play an impartial role during the rally, the BJP leader claimed that the onus would be on the security forces if the situation turned violent.

"Police and the administration are not our enemies. We request them to play an impartial role tomorrow. There would not be any provocation from our party activists. However, police have to decide if they want things to be peaceful. If there are unpleasant incidents during the rally, they would have to take the responsibility," Basu added.

The city police said there would be around 2,000 police personnel and other adequate arrangements to maintain law and order during the rally.

"There would be three main interception points at Freeders Lane, Tea Board of India office and Bentinck Street connector. All necessary arrangements would be made to maintain law and order," Joint Commissioner of Police (HQ) Supratim Sarkar said on Wednesday.

--IANS

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