Our workers will retaliate if our democratic rights snatched: Bengal BJP chief

After flare-ups in various pockets in West Bengal as police baton-charged and detained BJP workers participating in the "Vijay Sankalp" bike rallies, the party's state chief Dilip Ghosh on Sunday said his party workers would retaliate if their democratic rights were curbed.

Launched by Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Shah on Friday, the bike rallies are part of the party's nationwide outreach campaign ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

Attacking the state's ruling Trinamool Congress, Ghosh said it was panicking at the growth of the BJP.

"The ruling party can say anything, but I think they are trying to stop the BJP out of panic ahead of the elections. If there is a rule, it is applicable to everyone, hence we demand our democratic rights," Ghosh told reporters here.

He said if the police and the administration tried to create hindrances to their party's programmes, the activists would retaliate.

"The workers were deliberately attacked and instigated to retaliate, leading to disruptions on the streets. The police wanted us to resist, so that Trinamool could make it an issue and that is what exactly happened," Ghosh said.

The party had asked for permissions for the bike rallies across all the states through letters and e-mails.

Asked if the police did not give permission due to the board examinations, Ghosh said: "The rallies were organised across the country and the board examinations were going on everywhere. Even people in West Bengal took to the streets after the Jammu-Kashmir issue, but there was no problem."

"The police and the goons should remember that they (BJP workers) will not spare anyone. We have heard a lot of talk about democracy but we don't want any advice. If our democratic right is snatched, we know how to retain it through force," he added.

--IANS

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