Kolkata: Former Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday returned to the streets in her trademark combative style for the first time since the party’s Assembly election defeat, leading a dharna in central Kolkata to protest alleged post-poll attacks on TMC workers and leaders, including the party’s national general secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee.
Addressing supporters at the protest site, Banerjee accused the BJP of targeting Trinamool leaders and attempting to intimidate and weaken the party.
Striking a defiant note, Banerjee vowed to “fight or die” in defence of the TMC, alleging that the BJP was resorting to “bulldozer politics” to break the party after having “looted votes” in the Assembly polls. She also claimed that attacks on Trinamool leaders and workers had escalated since the election results.
“Ladenge ya marenge (I will fight or die). I will not die until I remove all of you from power,” Banerjee thundered, taking potshots at the BJP.
Alleging that the BJP rigged counting in 177 of the 294 seats which went for polls to win the West Bengal elections, Banerjee asserted that she would not abandon TMC workers in “these difficult times”.
“Very soon, all anti-BJP parties will meet in Delhi. Wait for a few days and we will soon announce our country-wide course of action,” the TMC chief said, referring to the scheduled INDIA bloc meeting next week.
“Those who have arrived here, ignoring police intimidation, should know that the men in uniform are being used by the BJP dispensation to do things they are not supposed to do. Threatening TMC workers is not part of their job profile,” Banerjee alleged.
Speaking on the attack on party Abhishek Banerjee, she said: “Had the stone hit Abhishek’s head that day, he could have been dead.”
She further alleged that private hospitals where Abhishek was taken to were brought under “immense pressure” of the Suvendu Adhikari establishment not to allow admission to the injured leader. “The hospital CEO, where Abhishek was later admitted, apologised to me and said he wasn’t able to bear the pressure that was mounting on him,” she alleged.
“(PM Narendra) Modiji has left Bengal in the hands of anti-socials and bulldozer-happy politicians, pushing the state into darkness,” she said.
“This misrule, this atrocity, the way they have looted the vote, and now our MLAs and councillors are being threatened by the police. They are now attempting to break TMC,” Banerjee further stated.
She accused the Suvendu Adhikari government of hampering her party’s activities. “We were not allowed to erect a stage or use microphones. TMC is not being allowed to do our political activity,” she added. Initially, the TMC planned to hold the protest at Rani Rashmoni Avenue. However, the Kolkata Police denied permission at the key intersection. Mamata eventually shifted the protest venue to Esplanade’s Y-channel.
She also alleged that the alleged eviction of hawkers and “bulldozer raj” would only push the state into darkness. “Modi ji has left Bengal in the hands of anti-socials, bulldozer-happy politicians, pushing the state into darkness. The homes of poor people in Bengal have been demolished,” she further said.
At the concluding part of her speech, Banerjee issued a stern warning, vowing that the agitation would not be easily quieted.
“The dharna will continue,” she said. The MLAs present at the protest site in central Kolkata’s Esplanade were Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay, Nanya Bandopadhyay, Madan Mitra, Ashok Deb and Asima Patra. Dola Sen, Kalyan Banerjee and Dereck O’Brien were the MPs seen beside Mamata. The dharna concluded later on. TMC Beliaghata MLA Kunal Ghosh fell ill at the dharna due to the heat. An ambulance came to take him to the hospital, but Ghosh refused to board the ambulance and later travelled to his residence in his car.