Bengal ban on carrying arms aimed to foil Ram Navami rally: BJP

BJP on Sunday criticised the prohibitory order issued by the Kolkata Police on carrying "sharp and offensive weapons" in public places.

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Kolkata: Criticising the prohibitory order issued by the Kolkata Police on carrying "sharp and offensive weapons" in public places, Bengal BJP President Dilip Ghosh on Saturday said the order has been issued to foil the party's plan to take out Ram Navami rallies in the state.

Ghosh accused the state's ruling Trinamool Congress of using the state administration and police to impede Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) rise in Bengal.

"The order has been passed when the Ram Navami is just four months away. The Trinamool is not able to foil BJP's progress in the state politically, so now they are using police and administrative power to stop us," he said.

There were so many illegal arms factory in the state but the police had not been able to stop those, he alleged.

Responding to Ghosh, Trinamool secretary general Partha Chatterjee questioned the BJP's intent to involve arms and violence in politics and said the administration had the right to take such decisions to ensure people's security.

"The people who are responsible for maintaining the law and order in the state have the right to take certain decisions for the people's safety. Why is the BJP so scared," Chatterjee said.

"Is it necessary to involve arms in politics. If they are so eager to brandish arms they should go to circus instead," he retorted.

The Kolkata Police on Friday issued a notice prohibiting people from carrying sharp and offensive weapons in public places in the city and the adjoining suburbs for one year, starting January 2018.