Kolkata, December 20: In a major setback for West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, the Calcutta High Court on Thursday gave permission for three rallies (Rath Yatra) of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state. While allowing the BJP to go ahead with its statewide rally, also known as Ganatantra Bachao Yatra (save democracy rally), the high court directed the West Bengal government to ensure that there is no breach of law and order.

"We welcome this decision and we had trust on the judiciary that we'll get justice. This decision is a slap on the face of tyranny. We haven't decided anything but I can assure that Prime Minister and party chief will join the yatra," BJP national General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya told news agency ANI. The three yatras can be carried out on December 22, 24 and 26. Rath Yatra: BJP Holds Law Violation Programmes in Bengal.

The court also directed that authorities in the respective districts will have to be informed 12 hours in advance about the yatra. The state government is likely to move to a division bench challenging the order tomorrow. The BJP had moved court after the West Bengal government denied permission for their rallies earlier this week, stating there was "grave apprehension of major breach of peace and communal violence during and in the aftermath" of the programme.

The BJP was originally scheduled to hold three Rath Yatras from north Bengal's Cooch Behar, South 24 Parganas district's Gangasagar and Birbhum district's temple town of Tarapith on December 6, 9 and 14 respectively but was denied permission by a single judge bench of the Calcutta High Court.

The party then moved a division bench of the High Court which directed the West Bengal chief secretary, the home secretary and the director general of police to hold a meeting with a three-member BJP delegation to take a decision on the matter.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 20, 2018 02:39 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).