NEW DELHI: Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday led a sit-in protest in Kolkata over alleged attacks on party leaders, including her nephew Abhishek Banerjee. This development comes a day after police denied permission to the West Bengal opposition party to hold any form of demonstration. Mamata has dared the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to "arrest her if they want", adding that she would go to Delhi if not allowed to protest in Kolkata.
Massive Gathering at Protest Site
A huge crowd has gathered at the protest location, including party MP Kalyan Banerjee. The demonstration underscores the escalating tension between the TMC and the ruling party in the state.
Mamata's Defiant Stance
On Monday, Mamata had stated, "The police are trying to break a political party. If you don't let me protest democratically here, I will go to Delhi. We have an INDIA bloc meeting as well." She further alleged, "You have targeted Bengal and made us lose through SIR and logical discrepancies. In 177 constituencies, polls were rigged and machines were hacked. I am a sufferer myself. I was forced out of the counting centre when I was winning by 13,000 votes."
Attack on Abhishek Banerjee
Abhishek Banerjee was attacked by protesters in Sonarpur on Kolkata's southern outskirts last week. He also received a CID summons in connection with a fake-signature investigation. The 38-year-old MP was allegedly chased, heckled, and physically assaulted by a crowd while on his way to visit the family of a TMC worker killed in post-poll violence in Sonarpur. Protesters reportedly shouted slogans of "chor, chor" (thief, thief), hurled eggs, stones, and slippers, and tore his shirt. During the roughly 10-minute confrontation, he was punched and slapped, and his spectacles were broken.
Political Implications
The sit-in protest and the attack on Abhishek Banerjee highlight the volatile political climate in West Bengal. The TMC has accused the BJP of orchestrating violence against its leaders, while the BJP denies these allegations. The situation continues to draw national attention, with implications for the upcoming INDIA bloc meetings and the broader political landscape.
