BJP distorting facts: Mamata Banerjee after row over landing of Amit Shah's chopper

NEW DELHI: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the uproar over the change in the landing location of party chief Amit Shah's helicopter. Mamata said that BJP was distorting facts in the matter.

"We granted permission for the meeting because as we believe in democracy. They (BJP) are distorting the information and misleading people," she said.

She also added that despite being the CM, her locations are also changed due to security reasons. "The permission has been given but there are security issues. Police had said that the chopper (Amit Shah's) should land at some other place. I also change my chopper's landing on police request," she added.

The BJP had alleged that the though the West Bengal government is using Malda airport for landing their helicopters on every Wednesday, they have turned down Amit Shah's request for permission.

The Malda district administration had told the BJP that it is not possible to grant permission to land helicopters at Malda airport this week due to the ongoing construction work. 

"As per report of the executive engineer, PWD (civil), Malda Division, up-gradation of work at Malda Airport is going on in full swing. A large quantity of fine sand, dust and GSB materials is lying all along the runway and also stacked all around the site," Additional District Magistrate of Malda said in a letter to BJP.

The letter stated that the ongoing construction work has affected the maintenance of temporary helipad at the airport and it is not possible to grant permission to Shah's chopper to land at Malda Airport.

The BJP president, who was recently treated for swine flu at AIIMS in Delhi, is scheduled to address a rally in Malda on January 22. As per BJP's plan, Shah will reach Kolkata and then take a helicopter from there to reach Malda where he will participate in a public rally with BJP workers from North Bengal.