The Trinamool Congress on Monday contested the BJP's claim that permission was denied for the landing of its president Amit Shah's helicopter in Malda, saying it was "peddling lies" after the "huge success" of the Opposition rally in West Bengal.

Hitting out at the West Bengal government, Union Minister Piyush Goyal had claimed that it "is trying to block every programme of Amit Shah be it a rally, yatra or the landing of his chopper". It showed that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was "scared" of his party's growing influence in the state, he said.

However, TMC leader Derek O'Brien said that the allegations were "hilarious".

In a series of tweets, the Trinamool MP said that he had asked his interns to run a "fact check" on Goyal's statements.

"Just asked two interns to run a #FactCheck on the Rail Mantri's press conference on #Bangla Hilarious!

"FactCheck #19 After huge success of #UnitedIndiaAtBrigade rally @BJP4India peddling lies. CLAIM: Mamata Banerjee's helicopter landed at the Malda helipad a few days ago FACT: Mamata Banerjee last visited Malda in May, 2018," he tweeted.

"#FactCheck #20 After huge success of #UnitedIndiaAtBrigade rally @BJP4India peddling lies. CLAIM: State Govt didn't allow BJP to hold Rath Yatra FACT: Matter was taken up in the Supreme Court. SC said State Govt's apprehension of violence during the Yatra was not unfounded," he tweeted.

Banerjee too told reporters in Kolkata that all permissions had been granted to Shah for his meetings.

Shah, who has just recovered from swine flu, is scheduled to address a rally in Malda Tuesday. The next day he will address rallies in Jhargram and Birbhum districts.

The rallies come close on the heels of a mega public meeting organised in Kolkata's Brigade Parade ground by the Trinamool Congress in which several top opposition leaders from across the country were present.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)