BJP writes to Home Minister Rajnath Singh, WB chief secretary for safety of members attending Amit Shah's rally

KOLKATA: With the TMC announcing protest rallies in West Bengal tomorrow against the Assam NRC, the BJP leadership wrote to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and the state chief secretary today, requesting them to ensure the safety and security of its members who will arrive in the city for party president Amit Shah's rally.

West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Dilip Ghosh wrote to Singh, requesting him to urge the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government in West Bengal to ensure the safety and security of the saffron party's workers, who will come to attend Shah's rally and on their way back.

State BJP vice-president Jay Prakash Majumdar wrote to West Bengal Chief Secretary Malay De, requesting him to ensure the safety of the BJP workers.

The TMC leadership has announced protest rallies across the state, except in Kolkata, tomorrow against the complete draft of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam that was published on July 30, party sources said.

"In the letter, I have apprised Rajnath Singh of the situation -- how our workers, who are coming to attend our rally, are being attacked. The TMC and the police administration have joined hands. I have requested him to tell the state government to ensure the safety and security of the BJP workers," Ghosh said.

The BJP rally will start at 11 am tomorrow, he said, adding, "The TMC has called its rallies to attack our cadre and stop them from reaching the venue. We have asked the chief secretary to ensure proper security arrangements."

Majumdar said, "The TMC wants to instigate violence and ensure that untoward incidents take place. We have told the chief secretary that if any untoward incident takes place, the TMC and the government will be held responsible for it."