NEW DELHI: Former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee joined Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee in a protest in Kolkata’s Kalighat. She accused the BJP of hooliganism and alleged a breakdown of law and order in the state.She said she had written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla over the incident.The protest followed an overnight confrontation outside Abhishek’s residence, where clashes reportedly broke out between TMC workers and BJP supporters around 2am. Abhishek alleged that BJP workers attacked his residence after conducting reconnaissance of the premises for two days.He later claimed that the confrontation continued until 7am, accused police personnel of failing to stop the attackers and alleged that some officers were assaulted while trying to intervene. Several people were reportedly injured, while police imposed prohibitory restrictions around the residence and detained some people.BJP rejected the allegations, blaming the confrontation on a birthday gathering organised on a public road. The incident has since triggered a political war of words, with leaders from both sides trading accusations over the violence and the state’s law-and-order situation.
Mamata joins protest, writes to Lok Sabha Speaker
Mamata reached Abhishek’s Kalighat residence later on Saturday and joined the protest. She accused the BJP of creating disturbances in the area and alleged that a group of people had attacked a Kali Puja celebration.She also raised concerns over the arrangements for traditional pujas ahead of Kali Puja and Diwali. Mamata claimed that permissions for some long-standing puja celebrations had been revoked while a new puja was allowed to be organised on the main road.“Tomorrow is Kali Puja and Diwali. Last night, at 2:00 AM, an attack was carried out at Abhishek Banerjee’s house. This is our locality, a route through which many processions of Goddess Kali pass. Why are you causing such a disturbance? You have revoked permissions for our traditional, long-standing pujas while allowing new ones to be held instead,” she said.She alleged that the new puja arrangement had blocked access to their own celebration and accused the authorities of high-handedness. She also said she had written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla over what she described as a breakdown of law and order.
What happened outside Abhishek’s residence
The confrontation reportedly began around 2am on Saturday, when BJP supporters allegedly raised slogans calling Abhishek a “chor” (thief) outside his Kalighat residence. TMC workers had gathered in the area. According to reports, the slogans were followed by counter-sloganeering, arguments and a clash between the two groups.The confrontation involved allegations of assault, stone-pelting and vandalism. Abhishek, who came out of his residence during the night to meet injured party workers, alleged that the attackers used wooden rods fitted with nails and vandalised a local TMC office.Police and party accounts put the duration of the initial clashes between 2am and 3.30am. Abhishek, however, later claimed that the confrontation continued until 7am.He alleged that four to five of his supporters sustained serious injuries. One of them, he said, required plastic surgery, while another suffered a fracture. Police sources said several people from both sides were injured. A separate report put the number of injured at eight, including three who were seriously hurt.
Abhishek alleges two-day surveillance, attack plot
The incident came hours after Abhishek raised allegations of surveillance outside his office and residence. On Friday, he claimed that unidentified individuals had been conducting reconnaissance of the premises for two consecutive days.He said the individuals claimed to be police personnel when confronted. Abhishek questioned why the state police were allegedly keeping watch on an elected MP’s residence and demanded an inquiry into who had authorised the surveillance and for what purpose.He tagged Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Kolkata Police, West Bengal Police and the Union Home Ministry in his post, seeking an investigation to establish the identities of those involved.Hours later, he alleged that his residence had been attacked by BJP workers. Sharing a video purportedly showing the incident, he wrote on X: “After two days of continuous recce, this is how BJP hooligans attacked my house at 2 am today. Watch the footage and see for yourself. If this is what can happen to an elected Member of Parliament, imagine the plight of the common man in WB.”PTI said it could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.Abhishek described the incident as the seventh attempt on his life in six months. He also accused the police and the judiciary of failing to act against those allegedly targeting him.
Abhishek accuses police of inaction
Escalating his criticism after the confrontation, Abhishek alleged that police personnel present at the spot failed to prevent the violence. He claimed that some officers remained silent spectators, while others who tried to intervene were assaulted.“The attack continued till 7 am. Although the police were there, some of them acted as silent spectators, and others who tried to stop the BJP goons were beaten up by them,” he said.“The police who can’t protect themselves cannot protect the common people anyway,” he added.Abhishek also shared a video that he claimed showed a BJP worker slapping a plainclothes police officer. The TMC accused the BJP workers of assaulting police personnel and questioned why those involved had not been arrested.He said the incident showed how vulnerable ordinary people could be if police personnel themselves were unable to protect themselves. He also cited figures on alleged crimes in the state between May and October, claiming that around 2,500 rapes, 600 murders and more than 32,000 crimes had taken place during the period. These figures were claims made by Abhishek.
What police said
The Kolkata Police said a commotion had broken out between supporters of the two parties and that a police team intervened. An investigation was underway, a police officer said, without providing further details.Prohibitory orders were imposed around Abhishek’s residence, barring gatherings of more than five people. A large police contingent was deployed in the area and several people were detained in connection with the incident.Police sources said people from both sides had been injured and the situation remained tense through the night.
BJP rejects charges, blames birthday gathering
The BJP rejected Abhishek’s allegations and accused TMC supporters of provoking the confrontation by holding a birthday celebration on a public road.West Bengal minister Dilip Ghosh dismissed the claims as an attempt to mislead people. He questioned why anyone would want to kill Abhishek and said a disturbance was bound to follow if a public space was occupied for a celebration.Union minister Sukanta Majumdar also criticised the decision to hold the gathering on a footpath. He said there was no objection to celebrating a birthday but argued that it should have been organised inside a residence or at a venue rather than on a public road.“If you block public roads in front of your house and hold a birthday celebration on the footpath, naturally people will get angry. The public is already upset with you; on top of that, if you behave like this, confrontations are bound to happen,” he said.Majumdar rejected allegations of BJP involvement and said the party did not want to “dirty its hands with small fry”.BJP leader Ritabrata Bandopadhyay also disputed the TMC’s account. He claimed local residents were angry because the gathering had obstructed roads used for transporting idols ahead of Kali Puja. He said the birthday celebration should have been held inside Abhishek’s residence.
TMC leaders allege planned attack; opposition voices concern
TMC MP Sougata Roy accused BJP workers of conducting a prior reconnaissance of the area before attacking Abhishek’s residence. He alleged that police personnel were present but failed to control the situation, and that some officers were also assaulted.Roy described the incident as an attempt to intimidate people and suppress the opposition.TMC MP Kirti Azad alleged that men armed with stones and sticks attacked the premises for 30 to 45 minutes. He claimed CCTV footage was available and accused the police of escorting those involved instead of arresting them.TMC MLA Kunal Ghosh also alleged that party workers were being targeted and questioned the police action following the incident. Party spokesperson and advocate Arka Nag described the episode as an alleged attempt to murder Abhishek and his supporters. He said the party had lodged a police complaint and questioned the imposition of prohibitory restrictions, arguing that they could affect the movement of Kali idols during the festival.The incident also drew reactions from leaders outside the two parties. Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said nobody should be denied the right to celebrate a birthday. Congress leader Udit Raj described the incident as an unconstitutional act and an attack on democracy.
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Rashtriya Janata Dal MP Sudhakar Singh demanded President’s Rule in West Bengal, alleging that the state government had failed to maintain law and order.
Political tensions in Bengal
The confrontation comes against the backdrop of the BJP’s victory in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, which ended the TMC’s 15-year rule. The BJP is now in government, while the TMC, led by former chief minister Mamata Banerjee, is in opposition.The two parties have since traded allegations of violence and intimidation. The latest clash in Kalighat has added to the political tension in the state, with both sides blaming the other for the confrontation.With Kali Puja and Diwali approaching, the incident has also brought the arrangements for celebrations in Kalighat into the political dispute. Further details of the investigation and action against those detained are awaited.