CJP blames BJP pressure for cancellation of Kolkata meeting venue

The Cockroach Janta Party alleged on Tuesday that its planned political meeting in Kolkata was thwarted after venue owners faced threats and pressure, claiming the cancellation was an attempt by the state's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party to silence their campaign. The CJP said its scheduled gathering at Bharat Sabha Hall in North Kolkata could not proceed after the hall's owners withdrew, allegedly due to intimidation from BJP leaders. The party further asserted that six other venues also refused to host them, citing "massive pressure" from the state administration.

CJP co-convenor Asutosh Ranka announced the cancellation in a post on social media, stating, "Our scheduled Kolkata MeetUp at Bharat Sabha Hall in North Kolkata has now been cancelled after the owners received threats from BJP leaders." He claimed alternate venues could not be secured as owners backed down under duress. Speaking to reporters later, CJP member Sunil Kumar Tiwari described a similar pattern, alleging that a hall contacted on Monday refused to finalize the booking when representatives arrived on Tuesday. He added that three or four other venues also declined.

The West Bengal BJP categorically denied the...