Kolkata:
The Left in West Bengal has advised Mamata Banerjee to behave "like a Chief Minister."
Ms Banerjee's intervention at a police station in Kolkata on Sunday night has hurtled her into a controversy over whether she misused her authority. Ms Banerjee was seen shouting at senior policemen to release two members of her party, the Trinamool Congress. They had been arrested for alleged vandalism when the police tried to stop a religious procession from using loudspeakers and bursting firecrackers late at night.
A large crowd of nearly 300 people had clashed with the police near the Bhowanipore police station in South Kolkata.
"She can visit any police station... she is Chief Minister and Home Minister," said Left leader Biman Bose, "But the issue is that she went there primarily to release two of her party activists, those who were arrested. This is definitely unbecoming of a Chief Minister. She can talk to the police top brass for their release. But not go to a police station to release activists. This is not good for the fame and name of Bengal. When you become Chief Minister, you have to behave like a Chief Minister."
Ms Banerjee is unlikely to flinch at the criticism. In May, she defeated the Left with a historic margin to become Chief Minister. Her party insists she was entitled to intervene. The police seems to agree. A report on the incident submitted to senior police officers says, the officer in charge and a sub-inspector of the Bhawanipore police station were "too pro-active" about stopping those in the puja procession from using loudspeakers and firecrackers. The report says a lathicharge should have been avoided, and that the police failed to correctly assess what sort of arrangements were needed to ensure the procession was conducted peacefully.
The Jagaddhatri Puja is an annual festival in Bengal. On Monday, puja organisers had taken out a procession to immerse the idol of the goddess when trouble broke out .
Ms Banerjee's intervention at a police station in Kolkata on Sunday night has hurtled her into a controversy over whether she misused her authority. Ms Banerjee was seen shouting at senior policemen to release two members of her party, the Trinamool Congress. They had been arrested for alleged vandalism when the police tried to stop a religious procession from using loudspeakers and bursting firecrackers late at night.
A large crowd of nearly 300 people had clashed with the police near the Bhowanipore police station in South Kolkata.
"She can visit any police station... she is Chief Minister and Home Minister," said Left leader Biman Bose, "But the issue is that she went there primarily to release two of her party activists, those who were arrested. This is definitely unbecoming of a Chief Minister. She can talk to the police top brass for their release. But not go to a police station to release activists. This is not good for the fame and name of Bengal. When you become Chief Minister, you have to behave like a Chief Minister."
Ms Banerjee is unlikely to flinch at the criticism. In May, she defeated the Left with a historic margin to become Chief Minister. Her party insists she was entitled to intervene. The police seems to agree. A report on the incident submitted to senior police officers says, the officer in charge and a sub-inspector of the Bhawanipore police station were "too pro-active" about stopping those in the puja procession from using loudspeakers and firecrackers. The report says a lathicharge should have been avoided, and that the police failed to correctly assess what sort of arrangements were needed to ensure the procession was conducted peacefully.
The Jagaddhatri Puja is an annual festival in Bengal. On Monday, puja organisers had taken out a procession to immerse the idol of the goddess when trouble broke out .
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