No permission for Amit Shah meet: Goa airport official

The controversy surrounding BJP President Amit Shah's meeting at Goa's Dabolim Airport touched a higher pitch on Monday, with a top airport official confirming that no permission was granted to the party to hold a rally in the facility's premises.

BJP state president Vinay Tendulkar told reporters that a crowd of party workers and others had gathered "spontaneously" at the airport because of Shah's presence and that no permissions were required for an informal gathering.

"Amit Shah was in Goa and people converged spontaneously to welcome him. He came with a delegation and those who had alighted from the flight also stayed back at the airport. People often stop to see a leader of such a stature," Tendulkar said.

The BJP leader also accused the Congress of staging a gherao of Dabolim Airport Director B.C. Negi earlier in the day for the sake of publicity.

Earlier, Negi, who was gheraoed by a Congress delegation led by All India Congress Committee Secretary Girish Chodankar, had said that no permission was granted for a BJP rally at the airport premises in honour of Shah.

"No permissions were given... I will inquire into it," Negi said.

The Dabolim International Airport, the only airport in Goa, is located on an Indian Naval Base, INS Hansa, and functions under the aegis of the Defence Ministry.