Came late in meeting as 'anti-Bengal forces' delayed nod for helicopter to fly, alleges Abhishek Banerjee

Rampurhat: TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday alleged that "anti-Bengal forces" delayed clearance to his helicopter to fly, forcing him to reach here nearly two hours later than scheduled for the meeting.

His chopper took off from the Behala Flying Club airstrip in the western fringes of Kolkata at around 2.20 pm, after securing an aircraft belonging to Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on account of the mandatory DGCA permission not arriving for his helicopter.

Banerjee was originally scheduled to fly from Kolkata at around 12.30 pm, a party source said.

He was scheduled to pay his obeisance at the Tarapith Kali Temple and address a public meeting of his party in Rampurhat, which he began addressing at 3.45 pm, much later than scheduled.

“I am late in reaching this venue because of a conspiracy by 'Bangla Birodhis' (those who oppose Bengal). They were not permitting my helicopter to fly,” Banerjee said at the rally.

“I used my wits and spoke to Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren, requesting him to allow me to use his helicopter instead so that I am able to reach this venue at a respectable time. If they are determined to stop me from reaching this meeting, I am 10 times more stubborn than they are,” the TMC MP added.

Banerjee had also announced his plans to meet repatriated Birbhum migrant Sunali Khatun later in the day at the Rampurhat Government Medical College and Hospital, where she gave birth to a baby boy on Monday, and convey his greetings.

Alleging “conspiracy hatched by the BJP” to derail Banerjee’s schedule, TMC MP Samirul Islam said, “The BJP is afraid of Abhishek Banerjee's meetings. That’s why they are resorting to such tactics to delay his arrival. Such moves won’t work.” Union minister and former BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar called the allegation “baseless”.

“We are not privy to the DGCA’s operation details. It allows the movement of aircraft when it finds that routes are clear. The safety of the VIPs flying in planes or helicopters is primary to the DGCA, and a little delay in flight is always preferred, if it ensures that the security of the person is not compromised,” Majumdar said.