BJP ends dharna against Election Commission in Varanasi IndiaToday.in Varanasi, May 8, 2014 | UPDATED 15:28 IST
*[image: A bird]* *A bird's-eye view of BJP protests in Varanasi.* The BJP ended its dharna against the Election Commission in Varanasi on Thursday after a party delegation met poll panel officials in New Delhi. The BJP was demanding the removal of the Varanasi returning officer, accusing him of bias, after the district magistrate denied Narendra Modi<http://indiatoday.intoday.in/people/narendra-modi/17737.html>, the party's PM candidate, the permission to hold a rally in the city. Party leader Venkaiah Naidu, who led the delegation to the Election Commision office, said: "We have apprised the Election Commission about what happened in Varanasi: We have urged the Election Commission to replace the district magistrate and conduct an independent inquiry into the matter." *2.20 pm: *BJP leaders end dharna outside BHU campus. *2.15 pm:* BJP delegation meets Election Commission. *1.52 pm: *Finance Minister P. Chidambaram on BJP protest: "This is an act of desperation." *[image: BJP leader Arun Jaitley in Varanasi.]* *BJP leader Arun Jaitley in Varanasi.* *1.37 pm: *Earlier BJP used to slam us for dharnas, today doing the same. Along with our cap copied Dharna too: Manish Sisodia. *1.33 pm: *AAP leader Manish Sisodia slams BJP protest. "BJP has realised that all their calculations have gone wrong and they are losing in Varanasi. That is why all this protest," he said. *1.30 pm: *BJP leader Amit Shah targets UP govt. "Varanasi administration is working on the directions of state government. Fifty thousand of our workers protesting here peacefully," he said. *1.28 pm: *Arun Jaitley: "In Kashmir, rallies are being allowed, in Maoist areas rallies are being allowed, but not here?" *1.25 pm:* Trinamool Congress candidate Indira Tiwari allegedly heckled by BJP workers in Varanasi. *1.07pm: *Rapid Action Force and police personnel were deployed in large numbers at the protest venue, while media was also present in large numbers. *[image: BJP supporters gather outside BHU in Varanasi.]* *BJP supporters gather outside BHU in Varanasi.* *12.55 pm: *Amit Shah and Ananth Kumar, Arun Jaitley sat on 'dharna' at the gate of the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) attacking the alleged partisan attitude of Returning Officer Pranjal Yadav and demanded his removal. *12.45 pm: *Chaos prevailed in the area with a huge crowd of party supporters gathered there adding to the mess in the area contributed by the presence of a hospital and a market. *12.35 pm: *Amid protests in Varanasi, Modi addressees rally in Azamgarh. "Election Commission is not doing its job properly. There have been reports of irregularities in polling in the last three phases," he said. *12.25 am:* Senior BJP leaders start gathering outside Election Commission office in New Delhi, police deploy water cannons. *12:15 pm: *BJP supporters demand removal of returning officer for not allowing Modi to hold rallies, BJP's PM nominee set to reach city too. *WATCH LIVE* <http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/livetv.jsp> *[image: BJP leaders Arun Jaitley and Amit Shah in Varanasi.]* *BJP leaders Arun Jaitley and Amit Shah in Varanasi.* *12.10 pm: *BJP leaders Arun Jaitley and Amit Shah reach Banaras Hindu University (BHU). *11.55 am: *BJP workers took to roads in Varanasi and protested the Election Commission's decision to deny its prime ministerial hopeful Narendra Modi permission to hold rallies in the city. *11.40 am: *Modi will arrive at the Babatpur airport in Varanasi by noon on Thursday and will be taken to the Rohaniya rally venue in a chopper. He will then drive through the city to go to the party office where he will meet party workers. *11.30 am: Crowd continue to grow at Lanka Gate in Varanasi.* *11.28 am: *State level BJP leaders jump onto motorcycles to ensure policemen don't catch them en route Lanka Chowk at Banaras Hindu University. Over 10,000 people could gather at the square. *[image: As more BJP supporters trickle in, paramilitary forces called in to maintain order at Lanka Chowk in Varanasi.]* *As more BJP supporters trickle in, paramilitary forces called in to maintain order at Lanka Chowk in Varanasi.* *11.26 am: *Kejriwal, in an exclusive interview to Headlines Today, says: "Varanasi shouldn't be removed. People say he's a good man. EC shouldn't bow to BJP pressure." *Kejriwal defends Varanasi DM, invites Modi for public debate <http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/kejriwal-varanasi-dm-narendra-modi-public-debate/1/359625.html> * *11.23 am: *BSP chief Mayawati, in a press conference, targetted both the BJP and the SP over the showdown in Varanasi. "The SP government could have avoided this situation. It looks like there a conspiracy between the SP and the BJP. Modi and company, which includes Amit Shah, are experts in creating new controversies and making wrong seem right and right seem wrong." *10:45 am: *BJP workers protest in Varanasi over no permission for Modi's rally. *[image: BJP supporters outside BHU at Lanka Chowk in Varanasi.]* *BJP supporters outside BHU at Lanka Chowk in Varanasi.* *10.30 am: *As the BJP readied for Modi roadshow in Varanasi, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal <http://indiatoday.intoday.in/people/arvind-kejriwal/17736.html>, contesting from the seat along with the BJP's PM candidate, targeted him in a series of tweets: "I invite Mr Modi for an open discussion on a public platform. Let Kashi people ask straight questions from both of us. Time place his choice [image: AAP supporters outside BHU at Lanka Chowk in Varanasi.] AAP supporters outside BHU at Lanka Chowk in Varanasi. Modi ji given permission of Ganga arti. Yet rather than performing arti, he is trying to draw political mileage. Sad. BJP top brass landed in Kashi. Shows their nervousness. Will they be able to save Modi ji from defeat? Here is EC's Permission to Modi ji for Ganga Arti. Then why doesn't he just go and perform arti? Why politicise it? Agar apko kewal arti aur pujan karna ho to EC ki permission nahi chahiye hoti. U need EC permission for political activities... I went alone one day and performed arti. No one stopped me. I will again go with my wife today and do arti. Neeyat saaf honi chahiye." *10:10 am:* Narendra Modi questions the neutrality of the Election Commission and offers profound apologies to 'Ganga Maa' for not being able to perform aarti in Varanasi on Thursday. BJP's prime ministerial nominee and Gujarat CM Narendra Modi is set to arrive in Varanasi on Thursday. [image: BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi] BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi Modi will arrive at the helipad at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) and lead a roadshow to the BJP central election office at Sigra. He would reach the BHU after addressing a rally at Rohaniya in Varanasi. The BJP declared war on the Election Commission after it denied permission to its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi to hold one of the two rallies in Varanasi on Thursday. In retaliation, the party announced that Modi would nevertheless visit Varanasi on Thursday and his motorcade would go from the Banaras Hindu University to the BJP's election headquarters from where he would leave for the airport. The party also mounted a blistering attack on the Election Commission accusing it of being a 'mute spectator' to the 'highly partisan' role of the returning officer, who cited an intelligence report of a possible communal tension for his action. The district administration was also denied permission to Modi to perform 'Ganga Pujan' and meet 150 prominent citizens. The district administration later allowed the 'Ganga Aarti' and the interaction event. Earlier, senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley, flanked by UP campaign in-charge Amit Shah, had levelled allegations of bias on the part of the EC returning officer for the Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency. Ahead of his arrival, Modi his tweeted his strong objection. Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/modi-to-hold-protest-roadshow-in-varanasi-slams-ec/1/359610.html -- Peace Is Doable -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
