‘We must stand together to protect democracy’, says Locket Chatterjee as BJP launches Bengal campaign

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

Kolkata, Nov 2 (IANS) BJP leader Locket Chatterjee on Monday called for people across the country to come forward to protect democracy, rising above political differences, as the party intensified its campaign against the Opposition’s protests over the alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

“The campaign is underway across the country. Our National President held a programme in Haryana yesterday and will also hold one in Bhagalpur today before arriving here. Across the country, we want everyone to come forward to protect democracy, rising above political differences,” Chatterjee told IANS.

She alleged that ‘anti-national forces’ were attempting to unite people for their own interests and to protect themselves.

“That is why we must stand together and support one another,” she added.

Meanwhile, BJP National President Nitin Nabin is scheduled to arrive in Kolkata on Monday afternoon to lead the party’s ‘Loktantra Bachao, Arajakta Hatao (Save Democracy, Eliminate Anarchy)’ rally, which will begin at College Street and conclude at Esplanade in central Kolkata.

Nabin is scheduled to arrive at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport from Patna shortly after 2 p.m. He will proceed directly to College Street, from where he will lead the march to Esplanade. It remains unclear whether he will address party workers and supporters at the concluding gathering.

The rally is part of the BJP’s nationwide campaign against Opposition protests over the SIR of electoral rolls. According to the BJP’s account, the protests have been spearheaded by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) and supported by the Congress-led INDIA Bloc and other Opposition parties.

Monday’s programme will mark the beginning of an extended BJP campaign across West Bengal against the anti-SIR protests.

State BJP vice-president, Prabal Raha said similar rallies would be organised in Howrah, adjoining Kolkata, and Siliguri in Darjeeling district on November 3.

The second phase of the campaign is scheduled to begin on November 11, after Kali Puja and Diwali. The party plans to organise marches at 800 locations across the state, with at least 10,000 participants at each location, Raha said.

–IANS

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