BJP wants drones at Amit Shah Kolkata rally

New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party has requested the Kolkata police for permission to fly a drone for mass surveillance during party president Amit Shah’s “Chalo Kolkata” rally in the city on August 11. The party has also appealed to the police to allow the use of walkie-talkies during the rally when the BJP president is expected to raise the National Register of Citizens (NRC) issue and the stand taken against it by state chief minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee.

The BJP decided to make the request to the Kolkata police as a precautionary measure after a tent collapsed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Midnapore rally in June in which over 90 people were injured.  

“We have applied for permission from the Kolkata police for using one drone during Amit Shahji’s rally on Saturday. Drones will help us keep an eye on the proceedings in and around the rally area. This is merely for security reasons,” West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party  president Dilip Ghosh told a news agency.

He said the party is trying to take precautionary measures to avoid another untoward event. A senior officer of Kolkata police, however, said nothing has been decided on the issue. He said a detailed report, stating the reasons, is required before granting permission for the use of drones. The state police officer said that foolproof security arrangements will be made for Saturday’s rally, keeping in mind Mr Shah’s stature as a political leader.

The rally venue on Mayo Road will have two daises. While one will be for Mr Shah and senior leaders, the second one will be for other party functionaries. The BJP had earlier alleged that the administration denied it permission to hold a rally at Rani Rashmoni Avenue in central Kolkata. But refuting the allegation, Kolkata police clarified that it had not received any application for any rally at Rani Rashmoni Avenue.