Kolkata : The BJP on Friday said that the police were delaying in giving permission to party’s March 1 rally in Kolkata’s Shahid Minar ground where they are planning to felicitate Union Home Minister and former BJP president Amit Shah for the passage of the contentious new citizenship law (CAA).

“We are yet to get permission from the police for Amit Shah’s rally. Police are saying that the state Board exams are going on and as a result, we cannot use loudspeakers at the rally venue. This is the reason why they are taking the time to grant us permission. But our point is that the rally venue is not located in a residential area and there is no school in the vicinity. Also, no examination is scheduled on the proposed day of the rally. We don’t know why permission is not being granted to us. We feel that this is being done to politicise the matter,” state BJP chief Dilip Ghosh told mediapersons at a press conference here.

The party had submitted a letter to Kolkata Police seeking permission for the rally a day ago, he added.

The secondary examinations of the state board, which started on February 18, will end on February 27. The higher secondary examinations will be held from March 12 to March 27. Restrictions on use of loudspeakers is in place on the Calcutta High Court’s order.

If the rally is allowed, it will be Shah’s second visit to West Bengal after assuming the office of Union Home Minister.