West Bengal: TMC gears up to counter Amit Shah's mega Kolkata rally today

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], November 29 : Ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah's address to a mega rally in Kolkata on Wednesday, the ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal has planned to counter the BJP leader's visit.
BJP has held public meetings across the state to mobilises supporters for the rally and posters of Amit Shah and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National President JP Nadda have come up in front of Victoria house here in preparation for Shah's 'Kolkata Chalo Abhiyan' rally.
Meanwhile, All India Trinamool Congress's Youth and Chhatra Parishad has built its momentum around issues like inflation and unemployment.
Kailash Mishra, a leader of the Trinamool's Youth and Chhatra Parishad said that 51, 000 letters have been written to Shah highlighting the rising unemployment and the economic situation of the country.
Mishra said that the letters point at BJP-led Union Government's "discrimination" against West Bengal. He alleged that funds for the state have been withheld to "exact political revenge".

"We are writing these letters to the country's Home Minister Amit Shah. He is coming to Bengal and these letters will be given to him which say that there are thousands and lakhs of people in Bengal who have worked for 100 days but they have not received their money. You are welcome to come to Bengal but tell us why the people of Bengal are being discriminated. You will have to answer...," Mishra said.
He further said that soft copies of letters will be posted on social media and people will tag Amit Shah, BJP, and BJP Bengal.
"Also, letters will be dispatched via Indian Post to Amit Shah's Delhi residence too," he added.
"We are writing these letters to the country's Home Minister Amit Shah. He is coming to Bengal and these letters will be given to him which say that there are thousands and lakhs of people in Bengal who have worked for 100 days but they have not received their money. You are welcome to come to Bengal but tell us why the people of Bengal are being discriminated. You will have to answer...," Mishra said.
He further said that soft copies of letters will be posted on social media and people will tag Amit Shah, BJP, and BJP Bengal.
"Also, letters will be dispatched via Indian Post to Amit Shah's Delhi residence too," he added.
Ahead of Shah's public meeting today, BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul said, "We had to go to court to seek permission for this rally. Like every time, the court served justice. Mamata Banerjee is scared... what will happen by showing black flags? The time has come for Mamata Banerjee to go."
Shah is scheduled address a rally near Victoria House at Esplanade, the same place in central Kolkata where the ruling Trinamool Congress holds its annual 'Shaheed Divas (Martyrs' Day)' rally on July 21 after the Calcutta High Court gave the nod to the party to hold the public meeting.
A division bench of the Calcutta High Court recently upheld a single-bench order permitting the public meeting of the BJP in the Esplanade area.
A Division Bench of Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya upheld the single bench order and dismissed the petition filed by the West Bengal government against holding the rally.
On November 23, the West Bengal government had approached the High Court against the single-judge Bench judgment.
The Single-Judge Bench of Justice Rajasekhar Mantha of the High Court had pulled up the Kolkata Police on November 20 for denying permission for the BJP rally in Kolkata twice without any apparent reason and by way of computer-generated responses.
However, the High Court, after hearing the plea filed by the West Bengal government observed that the advisory said applications need to be made two to three weeks prior to the programme. Here, the application has been made 23 days prior.
Shah is scheduled to address a rally near Victoria House at Esplanade, the same place in central Kolkata where the ruling Trinamool Congress holds its annual 'Shaheed Divas (Martyrs' Day)' rally on July 21 after the Calcutta High Court gave the nod to the party to hold the public meeting.
A division bench of the Calcutta High Court recently upheld a single-bench order permitting the public meeting of the BJP in the Esplanade area.
A Division Bench of Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya upheld the single bench order and dismissed the petition filed by the West Bengal government against holding the rally.
On November 23, the West Bengal government had approached the High Court against the single-judge Bench judgment.
The Single-Judge Bench of Justice Rajasekhar Mantha of the High Court had pulled up the Kolkata Police on November 20 for denying permission for the BJP rally in Kolkata twice without any apparent reason and by way of computer-generated responses.
However, the High Court, after hearing the plea filed by the West Bengal government observed that the advisory said applications need to be made two to three weeks prior to the programme. Here, the application has been made 23 days prior.