The political battle over the violence and vandalism during BJP chief Amit Shah's road show in Kolkata has sharpened to a Bengalis versus outsiders conflict. Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress claims the BJP had brought in goons from outside the state who know nothing of Bengal's history and culture, which led to the vandalism of the statue of Iswarchandra Vidyasagar at the college named after him. Amit Shah claimed it was Trinamool workers who broke the statue and pinned it on the BJP to sully the party's image. The BJP has asked the Election Commission to ban Mamata Banerjee from campaigning for the last phase of the national election -- nine of Bengal's 42 seats, along with state capital Kolkata, vote on Sunday.
