Clearance finally given for Amit Shah's chopper in Bengal: BJP

Amid high drama over denial of permission for facilitating the landing of BJP President Amit Shah's chopper in West Bengal's Malda ahead of his rally on January 22, the state BJP leadership on Monday said they have finally received the clearance at two places in the district.

"We have got permission to land the chopper at two places -- the helipad in Malda's Golden Park Hotel and also the helipad used by the Border Security Force in the district. We have heard that the helipad at the hotel is not fully ready, so Shah's chopper might land at the BSF's facility tomorrow," state BJP President Dilip Ghosh said.

"We have approached the state administration regarding the two venues. BSF has already given us permission. We are awaiting the security clearance by the local administration," he said.

Earlier in the day, the state BJP issued a statement accusing the West Bengal government of denying permission for Shah's chopper at the Malda airstrip ahead of his rally on Tuesday.

The statement said the local administration denied permission for landing citing construction work was going on at the airstrip but claimed that no such construction activities were underway at the facility.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, however, refuted BJP's allegation and said permission for the rally was given by the state administration but the chopper was asked to be landed elsewhere due to security reasons.

"Permission has been given but there are security issues. Police had said that the chopper should land at some other place. I also changed my chopper's landing on their request. We have granted permission for the meeting as we believe in democracy. They (BJP) are distorting information and misleading people. We have given permission," she told reporters outside the city airport on her way to north Bengal.

Shah is scheduled to hold five rallies in five Bengal districts in three days.

Ghosh, however, revealed that the saffron party chief might not hold all five rallies as scheduled if his health does not permit.

"Shah is scheduled to address two rallies on January 24 in South 24 Parganas district's Jaynagar and Nadia district's Krishnanagar. But the doctors have imposed certain restrictions as he has just recovered from swine flu. So he might not go to those venues if his health does not permit," he said.

Ghosh said Union Minister of Textile Smriti Irani might be present at the two rallies on January 24 if Shah fails to make it.

Shah would also address two public rallies in Jhargarm and Birbhum district's Suri on January 23.

--IANS

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