BJP’s Kolkata protest rally against fake vaccination racket may trigger clashes – Hindustan Times

Top leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have decided to go ahead with the protest rally in central Kolkata on Monday against the fake vaccination racket in the city, even though the police have denied them permission citing ongoing Covid-19 restrictions.

While the police are making elaborate arrangements to beef up security outside the Kolkata Municipal Corporation where rally is going to converge, BJP leaders have warned that police will have to face the consequences if they try to stop the rally.

“It will be a peaceful protest. We don’t need permission to protest. We have already informed the police. If the police want deterioration of law and order, they can take multiple steps. In that case, they will have to face the consequences,” said Dilip Ghosh, BJP president in West Bengal.

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In June, the Kolkata Police had busted a fake vaccination racket allegedly run by a man impersonating a bureaucrat. Over 800 people, including Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mimi Chakraborty, were duped into taking the fake vaccines.

The racket triggered a political slugfest between the TMC and the BJP. While the BJP has alleged that the mastermind had links with senior TMC leaders, the latter has rubbished the charges.

Leaders of the state’s ruling party, however, have warned of stern action if Covid-19 restrictions are violated.

“Covid-19 restrictions are going on. There are restrictions on political gatherings. If they are violated, the police will take action under the Disaster Management Act,” said Atin Ghosh, out-going deputy mayor and TMC legislator.

Senior BJP leaders, including the party’s state president Dilip Ghosh, leader of the opposition Suvendu Adhikari and MPs who head the party’s women and youth wings are going to take part in the protest rally, which will kick off from Subodh Mullick Square and converge outside the headquarters of the city’s civic body.

“We have made elaborate arrangements to prevent any deterioration of law and order. Large police contingents are being deployed along with RAF and water cannons and barricades are being put up all along the route,” said a senior police official.

The BJP, despite setting a target of winning over 200 seats, could only manage 77 seats in the recently held assembly polls. The TMC had returned to power with a sweeping victory and winning 213 seats out of the 292 seats where elections were held.

While the BJP has been stepping up its attack against the TMC over the fake vaccination racket, the Centre had asked the West Bengal government to file a report last week. Even the Calcutta high court directed the state to file an affidavit in the matter.