New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday has refused to give a go-ahead for the BJP’s rath yatra in West Bengal. The court said the BJP can hold normal rallies with the approval of the state government.
However, the top court said if the BJP comes out with a revised plan of fresh ‘yatra’, that may be considered afresh later.
A bench led by the Chief Justice of India said that apprehension of violence by the state government was not unfounded.
The court is hearing a petition of the BJP challenging an order of the Calcutta High Court, which had set aside a ruling of allowing the procession.
In its plea, BJP has contended that state authorities cannot abridge their right and they have a duty to facilitate them in exercising their democratic right.
The BJP rally plans to cover 42 parliamentary constituencies in Bengal ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
As per the original schedule, BJP president Amit Shah was to launch the yatra from Cooch Behar on December 7, Kakdwip in South 24 Parganas on December 9 and from Tarapith temple in Birbhum on December 14.
