TMC rejects FIR against Mamata as political targeting, BJP backs police action
Kolkata: Kolkata Police have registered a suo motu First Information Report (FIR) against former West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee and organisers of a TMC student wing event for allegedly violating conditions imposed by the Calcutta High Court.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the FIR was registered on August 28 at Hastings police station under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), following a police assessment of compliance with the court’s directions for the Trinamool Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) foundation day programme held on Cathedral Road.
Police alleged that Banerjee and the event organisers entered into a criminal conspiracy and violated the High Court’s directions. The allegations were contained in a complaint filed by Hastings police sub-inspector Apu Baidya.
According to the police, TMCP supporters breached barricades and allegedly jostled with personnel deployed to maintain law and order, resulting in a chaotic situation. Police also claimed that the gathering disrupted vehicular movement on one side of Cathedral Road.
The FIR came days after Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya of the Calcutta High Court imposed conditions on the TMCP programme, including efforts to keep attendance within 1,500 people and directions to police to ensure maintenance of law and order and prevent any untoward incident.
TMC MLA Kunal Ghosh rejected the allegations and termed the FIR politically motivated. He said the party respected the High Court and had made efforts to comply with its directions, while arguing that managing an unexpectedly large gathering was ultimately the responsibility of the police.
The BJP, however, welcomed the police action and accused Mamata Banerjee and the TMC of disregarding judicial directions.
The development has brought renewed focus on tensions between the West Bengal government’s ruling political establishment and law-enforcement authorities over compliance with judicial orders and the management of large political gatherings.
