BJP leaders meet CEO, demand Chhindwara Collector’s ouster
| Date :26-Apr-2019 |
Staff Reporter:
DENYING permission to former Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s helicopter to land in Parasia airstrip in Chhindwara has become a bone of contention between BJP and Congress. On Thursday, a BJP delegation approached Chief Electoral Officer V L Kantha Rao and demanded removal of Chhindwara Collector by accusing him of acting on instructions of Chief Minister Kamal Nath and spoiling election rallies of BJP leaders. BJP delegation comprised former CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan, BJP National Vice President Prabhat Jha, former minister Rampal Singh, MLA Rameshwar Sharma, Mayor Alok Sharma, Vijesh Lunawat and others. In the memorandum, BJP said that Shivraj Singh Chouhan was going to address election rally in Umreth of Chhindwara at 5:30 pm on Wednesday.
But the Collector did not allow his chopper to land and thus tried to spoil the election rally. BJP alleged that earlier in West Bengal Mamata Banerjee Government had stopped Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s chopper in similar fashion.
BJP said Chhindwara Collector referred to directives of Director General of Civil Aviation and said that permission after 5 pm cannot be given. On the other hand, there is a norm under visual flight rules in which it is said that before 20 minutes of sunrise and 20 minutes after sunset, flying permission could be given. BJP accused Chhindwara Collector of causing immense damage to election process by denying permission to the chopper. BJP has demanded action against Chhindwara Collector and sought his ouster. BJP also alleged a conspiracy in the incident and demanded investigations in this regard.