Mamata claims leaders under house arrest before TMC rally
Former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday alleged that leaders aligned with her faction of the Trinamool Congress had been kept under house arrest to prevent them from attending a rally in Serampore, while BJP workers have “taken over the route” to the venue.
Banerjee, who heads the Mamata All India Trinamool Congress, alleged that she was not being allowed to leave for the rally and accused 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 ‘go black’ slogan.
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 posed and asserted that the rally would be held as it has 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 court has permitted the rally to be held from 4 pm to 6 pm, with a maximum of 1,000 people allowed to attend, according to party sources.
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 workers was involved in the attack on Ghosh,” West Bengal BJP spokesperson Debjit Sarkar said.
