A controversy has erupted over an alleged denial in grant of permission for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) prime ministerial nominee Narendra Modi's rally at Beniyabagh ground in Varanasi on Thursday.br br Modi is contesting from the seat, which goes to polls on May 12. The BJP has written to chief election commissioner VS Sampath and demanded the removal of the electoral officer, district magistrate Pranjal Yadav.br br Beniyabagh is in the heart of the city and has a sizeable Muslim population. In the 1991 elections, law and order problems had cropped up during BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha's rally at Beniyabagh ground. After much effort, the administration had brought the situation under control.