Kolkata: Chaos broke out on Wedsnesday afternoon during a rally led by former CM Mamata Banerjee to protest against the Baruipur rape-murder incident, as well as other issues like the paper leak. A vast stretch of south Kolkata — between Ballygunge Phari and Hazra More — virtually turned into a battleground with BJP supporters clashing with the Trinamool rallyists. Trinamool has claimed that at least 41 of their supporters, including several women, were assaulted by BJP supporters and had to be admitted at the SSKM Hospital.Trinamool chief Banerjee blamed the police and administration for failing to stop the “BJP-sponsored hooliganism”. She alleged that the police had become subservient to BJP and failed to carry out their duty as ordered by the court. Banerjee also said she would return to court with charges of contempt of its order.On Wednesday, the march led by Banerjee was scheduled to begin at Ballygunge outpost and conclude at Hazra crossing, according to the court directive. The HC had also fixed the timing of the rally, allowing it from 2.30 pm to 4.30 pm, with a cap of 1,000 participants.But unrest erupted shortly after the rally began. Allegations surfaced that the Trinamool procession had been attacked and that BJP workers had beaten up several party functionaries and workers. The police reportedly struggled to bring the situation under control.The footage from the protest showed several BJP supporters raising “Chor Chor” slogans at key intersections along the rally’s route. When the Trinamool supporters objected, an altercation broke out. Minutes later, it escalated into a scuffle with BJP supporters outnumbering a few Trinamool men and women, and raining blows. It was finally left to CAPF personnel who used mild lathi charge to bring the situation under control.“My appeal to the state govt is to restore peace. You have snatched people’s democratic rights. They (BJP) have no strength here in their own organization, so they have brought in goons to create havoc, and all this is happening right in front of the police,” Banerjee said.“I will not blame BJP. I blame the police. We are holding this rally with court permission, but the police failed to do their job.” Mocking the administration, she said, “The OC-IC is now the BJP’s local president, the SP is the district president. This is a totally lawless situation. If the police cannot maintain law and order… they have violated the court’s directive. We will go back to the HC.”Banerjee claimed that her party’s youth wing had organized the rally only after obtaining court approval, but the BJP disrupted it with a bike procession. According to her, threats had been coming in since morning. “In the morning, around a thousand bikes went past my house. None of the riders had helmets on. They shouted to intimidate me, and the police simply stood there watching.”The BJP denied the allegations, and claimed that Banerjee seems to have lost the plot. Citing video grabs, BJP claimed Banerjee had even “slapped” her own party worker, and was seen pushing and shoving a few others.Union minister Sukanta Majumdar said, “After losing power, Banerjee has become mentally unsettled.”BJP state president Samik Bhattarcharya claimed Trinamool was a spent force.Banerjee said, “I know how you came to power. Protect the people. Since morning, DJs have been blaring from Ballygunge to Kalighat. Women have been beaten, men have been beaten too. Is this the change Bengal wanted?”Later, Banerjee arranged for injured party workers and supporters to be sent to the hospital.
