Bengal BJP appeals to Supreme Court against HC order disallowing its 3 rath yatras
Supreme Court
The West Bengal BJP has filed an appeal in the Supreme Court against the Calcutta High Court order refusing permission to its three planned rath yatras in the state.
A single judge bench of the court had on Thursday allowed the BJP to hold the yatras but, after the West Bengal government appealed, a division bench of the court sent the order back to the single judge bench.
The single judge bench, while passing its order, had said the government had not even made an effort to allow the BJP to hold its yatras, and that it was therefore allowed to intervene.
In its appeal, the West Bengal government said the state's intelligence agencies have warned that the yatras may lead to communal strife.
The division judge bench said it was important to take the warning by the intelligence agencies into consideration.
The division bench then asked the single-judge bench of Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty to hear the case again, take the inputs from the intelligence agencies into consideration, and dispose of the matter expeditiously.
The BJP's three yatras had originally been meant to kick off from Cooch Behar district on December 7, Kakdwip in South 24 Parganas on December 9, and Tarapith temple in Birbhum on December 14.
On Thursday, after Justice Chakraborty's order, the BJP said they would kick off on December 22, 24 and 26.
All three rath yatras were to be kicked off by BJP president Amit Shah and were meant to criss-cross the state before the general elections next year.