In Kolkata, tensions remain high after recent protests involving the Trinamool Congress (TMC). Just a day after the Indian Army dismantled the TMC’s stage at Mayo Road, the party quickly set up a new protest spot at Dorina crossing in the Esplanade area of central Kolkata.
The TMC workers started building the new stage on Tuesday at Dorina Crossing, which is about two kilometers from the original location near the Gandhi statue at Mayo Road. Later that day, the party’s trade union, INTTUC, held a protest meeting at the new site. They accused the BJP-led central government of trying to suppress their voice and stop protests against the harassment of Bengali migrant workers in BJP-controlled states.
TMC leaders issued a strong statement on social media: “Our protest and language movement cannot be silenced by conspiracy. The BJP wanted to silence Bengal by using the army, but our fight for the rights of Bengali workers continues. We will stand united and fight more vigorously every time Bengal is insulted or harassed.”
The party emphasized that, following instructions from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, they set up a new stage at Dorina crossing to keep protesting against what they call “language terrorism” and attacks on Bengali communities.
This incident comes just a day after Mamata Banerjee criticized the central government for misusing the Indian Army. She accused the Army of acting on political orders when they dismantled the TMC’s protest stage near Gandhi’s statue in Maidan, central Kolkata. Mamata Banerjee quickly arrived at the scene to protest the Army’s move, and when she was present, the soldiers stopped dismantling the stage and left.
Mamata Banerjee announced that the protest would continue at a new location, fighting back against what she calls political interference. The ongoing protests highlight the tense political climate in West Bengal as the TMC stands firm against opposition attacks and interference from the central government.
