Kolkata: With only a few days left for assembly bypolls in two constituencies of West Bengal, the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress landed in fresh trouble after police allegedly kept some of its leaders, including the former West Bengal chief minister, under house arrest on Saturday.
Banerjee alleged that leaders aligned with her faction had been kept under house arrest to prevent them from attending a rally in Serampore, while BJP workers had “taken over the route” to the venue.
Banerjee, who heads the Mamata Banerjee-led faction of the Trinamool Congress, alleged that she was not being allowed to leave for the rally and accused the police and the BJP government of turning a “blind eye to attacks” on TMC leaders and workers.
“We have been kept under house arrest. I am not allowed to go to the venue of the rally. But I will go and address the rally. Stop me if you can,” she said before leaving for the venue.
Banerjee took an alternative route via Dankuni and Delhi Road instead of Uttarpara to reach Serampore. A police vehicle was seen accompanying her convoy.
“BJP goons have taken over the route to the rally venue. There are no police personnel,” she alleged, referring to the alleged attack on TMC leaders travelling to Serampore.
Stones and eggs were allegedly hurled at TMC MLA Kunal Ghosh’s car while he was travelling to Serampore to attend the rally. The incident occurred in the Uttarpara area when a group of people carrying black flags surrounded Ghosh’s vehicle and shouted slogans, including “go black”.
Following the incident, central forces were deployed in Uttarpara, through which TMC leaders were travelling to Serampore.
Banerjee alleged that such incidents amounted to “atrocities”.
“Such atrocities are seen in African countries. Such atrocities are not even happening in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, which are also BJP-ruled. Then why has the ruling BJP unleashed so much terror on the streets (here)?” she asked.
She asserted that the rally would be held as it had been permitted by the court.
“The rally is being held with the permission of the court. It is the duty of police and administration to ensure it is held smoothly. But the police have turned a blind eye,” she said.
The developments came amid allegations by the TMC that its leaders and workers were targeted while travelling to the Serampore rally.
The rally is scheduled to be held at the Serampore Court ground. The TMC had approached the court after police permission for the meeting was not granted.
The Calcutta High Court has permitted the rally to be held from 4 pm to 6 pm, with a maximum of 1,000 people allowed to attend. The court also directed the police to provide protection and ensure that the meeting is held peacefully.
The West Bengal BJP termed Banerjee’s allegations as baseless.
“When the people of the state have already rejected Mamata Banerjee and TMC in assembly elections, why would BJP attack them? No BJP worker was involved in the attack on Ghosh,” West Bengal BJP spokesperson Debjit Sarkar said.