- A stage used by BJP's Biplab Kumar Deb earlier in the day was set on fire after his speech
- The BJP alleged that the TMC used violence to disrupt the political meeting
- BJP workers then allegedly vandalised a TMC councillor's office
Violent clashes broke out between Trinamool Congress and BJP supporters over putting up flags for a political programme in Sakher Bazar in Behala, roughly 11 km from Kolkata, on Sunday.
The workers and supporters of the BJP vandalised the local Trinamool councillor's office. A makeshift stage, where former Tripura chief minister and BJP election co-incharge Biplab Kumar Deb addressed a public meeting in the afternoon, was also allegedly set on fire during the clash. The BJP workers accused the Trinamool (TMC) supporters of setting the stage on fire.
Deb addressed a crowd during the 'Parivartan Sankalp Sabha' this afternoon. Soon after, TMC workers stormed the venue, vandalised the site and set the stage on fire after Deb left the venue. It is also being alleged that the BJP supporters were putting up flags in the area during the meeting. The BJP workers then allegedly vandalised the office of Trinamool councillor Sudip Polley.
Putting up a video of the clash, BJP's IT cell chief Amit Malviya posted on X handle, "Fearing an impending defeat, TMC goons have once again unleashed political terror on the streets of Kolkata. Moments after BJP election co-incharge and former Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb addressed voters at the Parivartan Sankalp Sabha in Behala Paschim, TMC workers stormed the venue, vandalised the site, and after his departure set the sabha stage on fire in the middle of a bustling market."
"TMC has reduced Bengal to a theatre of terror. Mamata Banerjee's goons are rampaging across the state, torching democracy in a desperate bid to cling to power," Malviya added.
Anupam Bhattacharya, BJP's South Kolkata District President, said, "Today we had a political meeting of Biplab Deb in Behala Paschim. Permission for which had already been taken two to three days before the programme. We wanted a peaceful meeting today. But since TMC prevented us from putting up party flags from the beginning. They intentionally provoked the violence today to disturb Biplab Deb's speech".
Upon receiving news of the clash between the workers of the two parties, Trinamool Congress MLAs Debasish Kumar and Ratna Chatterjee reached the spot and spoke with the Trinamool workers. Police have been deployed in the area.
TMC's Behala Purba MLA Ratna Chatterjee said, "I had come to attend a badminton tournament by our boys, and came to know that BJP supporters tried to disturb the game. The BJP does not know we have our leader, Mamata Banerjee,e with us. The more they attack us, the more we become stronger".
