New Delhi, Oct 15 The Aam Aadmi Party on Thursday alleged that permission for a Ramleela in Shalimar Bagh, the constituency of Delhi’s chief minister, was cancelled after preparations were completed.
Addressing a press conference, AAP Delhi president Saurabh Bharadwaj claimed a father-daughter duo had obtained permission and paid the required amount for organising the Ramleela in Shalimar village, but police intervened on the day the event was scheduled to begin.
Bharadwaj alleged that the local station house officer (SHO) intimidated the organisers and took them to the police station, preventing the event from taking place.
There was no immediate response from the BJP or the government to the allegations.
He claimed that the organisers had accused Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and her family of being responsible for the cancellation despite their appeals to allow the event.
“The chief minister should explain why the Ramleela was stopped after all the preparations had been completed. The organisers had obtained permission and made the necessary arrangements, yet they were not allowed to hold the event,” Bharadwaj said.
The AAP leader also alleged that the incident was part of a larger pattern in which the BJP sought to exert control over religious events and committees.
Referring to Ramleela events in Chirag Delhi, Bharadwaj claimed that people had stopped attending one event because of the high charges for rides, compared with another nearby Ramleela where the rates were lower.
He further alleged that BJP leaders are pressuring organisers of religious events to join the party, claiming that similar pressure was being exerted on committees organising Chhath Puja and Kanwar camps.
Bharadwaj demanded that the chief minister clarify the circumstances under which permission for the Shalimar Bagh Ramleela was cancelled.
(PTI News)
