Former West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee led a large protest march in Kolkata, condemning alleged attacks on party leaders, including an incident involving her nephew, Abhishek Banerjee, in Sonarpur.
The demonstration took place at Rashmoni Avenue near Esplanade and was attended by Abhishek Banerjee, Madan Mitra, and Kalyan Banerjee. The protest proceeded despite police not granting permission, leading to tense scenes at the venue as clashes and scuffles reportedly broke out between protesters and police personnel.
Large Crowd Joins Protest
A large number of people gathered at the protest site as Mamata Banerjee addressed TMC supporters. The crowd raised slogans of “Mamata Banerjee Zindabad” while police personnel remained deployed in the area to maintain law and order and prevent the situation from escalating.
During her speech, Banerjee alleged that the TMC was being unfairly targeted and said the protest would continue until Tuesday evening. She also expressed confidence that the BJP would face setbacks in the future.
Before joining the protest, Mamata Banerjee, along with senior party leaders including Dola Sen, paid floral tributes to Bharat Ratna Dr B.R. Ambedkar. She was also seen carrying a copy of the Constitution of India before heading to the demonstration.
The TMC says the protest is against alleged attacks on its leaders and workers in post-poll violence-related incidents and other political disputes. The demonstration comes amid growing tensions following an alleged attack on Abhishek Banerjee during a visit to a party worker’s house in Sonarpur, South 24 Parganas.
On Monday, Mamata Banerjee said she would continue with the sit-in protest despite not receiving police permission and challenged authorities to arrest her. She also accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of using “money and power” to encourage defections from the TMC.
Banerjee said leaders leaving the party for personal gain would ultimately help strengthen the organisation and claimed the TMC would emerge stronger from the current situation. She further warned that if the party was prevented from protesting in Kolkata, it would take the agitation to Delhi.
Allegations Over Attacks On TMC Leaders
The protest follows an alleged attack on Abhishek Banerjee in Sonarpur, where eggs, bricks and shoes were reportedly thrown at him while he was visiting the family of a deceased party worker. The TMC has blamed the BJP for the incident.
Meanwhile, TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee alleged that he survived an “attempt to murder” near Chanditala Police Station while submitting a deputation, further intensifying the political confrontation between the two parties.
