Permission granted at 10 pm, BJP compelled to cancel Modi’s three events in Varanasi: Amit Shah(video)

Varanasi, 7 May, 2014

In reaction to District Magistrate’s 10.00 pm announcement to grant permission to four events of Mr. Modi(and no permission to one main event which was Varanasi rally), BJP leader Amit Shah during his interaction to media at 11.00 hour said Mr. Modi will address only one Rohaniya rally which has been permitted well in advance by the administration. The other three events that are permitted at 10.00 pm need to be dropped, as permission has been granted too late, and between now and the scheduled event time, major portion is occupied by night.

Shah said Modi will come to Rohaniya helipad and from there he will fly to BHU helipad in Varanasi. From there he will come to party’s election office in Varanasi to interact with party workers. Shri Modi will leave Varanasi then after. Shah distributed Modi’s route to media persons.

Shah said district magistrate is working on someone’s directions. Shri Jaitley wrote a letter, sent fax and emailed a message that there was no time left to organize Shri Modi’s events, and therefore the application seeking permission to events should be considered withdrawn.

Shah said: We feel, granting permission to tomorrow’s events at 10.00 pm tonight is cruel joke on people of Varanasi. Even permission at 10.00 pm was given after Jaitley’s letter on 8.10 pm conveying it clearly that the applications are withdrawn.

The district administration said Modi’s Varanasi rally has not been permitted due to law and order issue and IB input. When asked about this, Shri Amit Shah saidhe visited the venue of proposed rally yesterday and saw BSP, Congress and AAP holding rallies on road side just next to the ground. Why issues of security, law and order are only connected to BJP’s rally? The yardstick of sensitivity is just for BJP? Shah said he wants to ask administration that which agency’s input suggested that Modi’s rally should not be permitted! Such report should be made public. Or otherwise the Election Commission should take notice of this and remove district magistrate for free and fair poll in Varanasi.

When asked how long the dharna event will last, Amit Shah said it will not be a day long dharna, but a symbolic event. Shah said it is district authority’s responsibility to see that dharna event goes smoothly. Shah said: under present returning officer, free and fair election is not possible. We continue our demand of changing him.

It should be mentioned that at 10.00 pm press conference, district magistrate Pranjal Yadav who is also returning officer of Varanasi held a joint press conference with local police officer and made announcement to give permission to four out of five events of Mr. Modi in Varnasi scheduled on Thursday including a Ganga aarti and interaction with local prominent citizens of Varanasi. Mr. Yadav claimed that he cleared permission within four hours of applications received. However Amit Shah maintained that party men had sought permission at 7.00 am. Shah said let district administration make record of time-schedule of applications public.