An unspecified number of BJP workers and policemen were injured in clashes in several districts of West Bengal Sunday after the saffron party's motorbike rallies held as part of its public outreach programme were denied permission.
Police said they disallowed the motorbike rallies as permission had not been granted to them because of the ongoing school board examinations.
Clashes between BJP workers and policemen took place at Durgapur and Asansol in West Burdwan district, Midnapore town and Goaltore in West Midnapore, and Balurghat in South Dinajpur when they took out the motorcycle rallies.
The police resorted to lathicharge to disperse the saffron party workers at Asansol and Goaltore leaving some people from both sides injured.
Among the injured were a DSP level officer and four other policemen, sources in West Midnapore said.
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BJP state president Dilip Ghosh accused the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) of using the police and administration to prevent the party workers from holding 'Vijay Sankalp' rallies out of fear of losing political ground in West Bengal.
The 'Vijay Sankalp' bike rally is part of the BJP's countrywide pre-poll exercise to establish contact with the people.
Claiming that it is a new BJP in the state which will not take intimidation lying down, Ghosh said if the TMC leaders think they can frighten the saffron party workers by using force, they are mistaken.
"Hundreds of party workers engaged in the rallies were arrested.... The rallies will be held even if the police arrest us," Ghosh said in the morning at Durgapur.
An officer of Kolkata Police said 135 persons were arrested and 59 motorcycles were seized from different places of the city as a preventive measure.
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