Mamata Banerjee accuses BJP-backed men of vandalizing TMC office in Kolkata

NEW DELHI: Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee on Thursday accused BJP-backed men of vandalising her party's Camac Street office in Kolkata, alleging that documents and equipment were taken during the incident. The former West Bengal chief minister also alleged that the attackers acted with the "confidence" of the Kolkata Police.

“We condemn the vandalism at our party office early in the morning in Kolkata. If this is the law and order situation in Kolkata, just imagine what is prevailing in rural areas,” Banerjee said during a Facebook Live. Alleging police involvement, Banerjee said, “BJP goons looted our documents and equipment and vandalised our office by taking Kolkata Police in confidence.”

The former three-term chief minister also accused the BJP of indulging in "total lawlessness" in West Bengal and alleged that BJP workers were responsible for incidents at Jadavpur University. “What happened at Jadavpur University was the hooliganism of the BJP. We condemn this,” she said. Banerjee further alleged that an atmosphere was being created to restrict her movement, saying, “The chief minister is stating that they will not allow me to go out of my home.”

She warned that the TMC would respond with demonstrations in the national capital if such 'atrocities' on the party continued. “If these atrocities on the TMC don't stop, we will stage dharnas outside BJP leaders' homes in New Delhi,” Banerjee said.

Her remarks came hours after TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee alleged that armed, BJP-backed men vandalised the Camac Street office. He shared purported CCTV footage showing masked and helmeted men leaving the premises with electronic equipment, including television sets and a printer. Police subsequently arrested six people in connection with the incident, an officer said, according to PTI.

Earlier on Thursday, the TMC had sought urgent meetings with president Droupadi Murmu and governor R N Ravi, alleging "utter lawlessness" and misuse of police by the BJP government. TMC Rajya Sabha leader Derek O'Brien said the party had written to both constitutional authorities. “For four months, this has gone from bad to worse. TMC workers are being targeted by the police across the state, party offices are being vandalised, police are following no rules, police are acting as openly as BJP cadres. There is utter lawlessness here,” O'Brien had alleged, according to PTI.