New Delhi: BJP president Amit Shah on Wednesday dared the West Bengal government to arrest him amid reports that his party has been denied permission to hold a rally in Kolkata.
‘It does not matter whether i get permission or not, I will definitely go to Kolkata. If the state government wants, it can arrest me,’ Shah said.
However, shortly after Shah’s remarks, Kolkata police clarified that a permission for holding the rally was ‘already’ granted.
‘Some unwarranted speculation in social media about denial of permission to a political party on August 11 has come to our notice. It is to clarify that on request, permission for meeting has already been granted,’ Kolkata police was quoted as saying.
Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brian later confirmed that permission for both the rallies of BJP scheduled for August 3 and 11, have been granted.
A BJP Yuva Morcha's statement earlier today appears to have stirred the confusion. The party’s youth wing president Debjit Sarkar told PTI that they have submitted a formal application to police, seeking permission for Shah's rally. ‘We will move court if police deny permission, ‘ he said.