“I do not blame the Army, but the BJP’s vendetta politics is behind it. The double-engine government of the BJP is to be blamed. They are misusing the Army. This is unethical, undemocratic,” Mamata, who rushed to the spot, told reporters.
The Army should have consulted the Kolkata Police before dismantling the stage, she said. “They could have called me and I would have removed the stage within a few minutes,” she added. “I don’t blame the Army; I just appeal to them to remain neutral and not play in the hands of the BJP,” the Chief Minister stated.
A defense official said that the Indian Army (Local Military Authority, Kolkata) gives permission for events in the Maidan area for a duration of two days, as directed by the Supreme Court.
“Permission for events greater than three days needs to be obtained from the Ministry of Defence, Government of India. Permission for the conduct of events was provided for two days. However, the stage has been up for almost a month. Several reminders have been sent to the organizers for the removal of the temporary structure. However, it was not removed,” the defense official said in a statement.
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