TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee on Thursday turned the alleged attack on her party's Camac Street office into a direct political challenge to the ruling BJP, warning that she would travel to New Delhi and stage dharnas outside the residences of its leaders if "atrocities" against the Trinamool continued.
In a combative Facebook Live, Banerjee accused the BJP of sending "goons" to vandalise the TMC office in the early hours, assault party workers and loot documents and electronic equipment, alleging that the attackers acted with the Kolkata Police being "taken in confidence".
"Those who are carrying out such barbarity in the heart of Kolkata at midnight, one needs to think what they are doing in rural Bengal," she said.
She warned that if the political heat in the state was not lowered, the TMC would take the fight to the BJP's doorstep in Delhi. "If these atrocities on the TMC don't stop, I will go to Delhi and sit on a dharna outside the homes of BJP leaders," Banerjee said.
She said the party was ready for a "democratic movement" beyond the state, asking, "How long will you stop us? How long will this atrocity continue?"
The remarks came hours after TMC national general secretary and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee alleged that armed men backed by the BJP stormed his Camac Street office around 4.30 am and went on a vandalism spree.
Abhishek, who is away from Kolkata, shared purported CCTV footage showing masked and helmeted men leaving the premises carrying television sets, a printer and other electronic equipment. A room inside the office was seen strewn with damaged furniture and equipment.
The TMC alleged that an air purifier, printer, television sets and other electronic items were taken away, and that four party workers were assaulted and kept inside the office.
Police have arrested six people in connection with the incident.
Banerjee, however, trained her guns not just on the alleged attackers but also on the police. "Shakespeare Sarani police station is right under our nose. We are noting the role of that police station and several others," she said, alleging that the police had failed to prevent the attack.
She accused the BJP government of turning police from "protectors into predators", while making it clear that her criticism was aimed at officers whom she alleged were acting outside the bounds of their duty.
The former chief minister also alleged that the TMC had faced a sustained campaign of political intimidation since the BJP came to power.
"More than 4,000 of our party offices have been captured. We are not being allowed to come out of our homes. FIRs are being filed every day. There is almost a world record in FIRs," she claimed.
"You can keep filing FIRs, but you cannot stop us," Banerjee said.
The BJP denied any role in the Camac Street incident.
BJP MLA Sajal Ghosh rejected the TMC's allegation and claimed the episode was "staged", questioning why TMC workers were present at the office at such an hour.
The war of words comes against the backdrop of another day of political friction in Kolkata, with rival groups holding demonstrations around Jadavpur University.
Banerjee accused the BJP of "hooliganism" at the university and condemned the alleged intimidation.
The TMC chief also used the Camac Street episode to attack the BJP's central leadership, alleging that central forces were being used to shield "goons" while the party's own grassroots workers were being alienated.
"Just to protect goons, you are sending CRPF and destroying the BJP's own organisational structure. You are losing your real workers. The ground is slipping from under your feet," she said, addressing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Banerjee also disputed claims that she enjoys Z-plus security as a former chief minister, alleging that her security cover had been withdrawn.
"Where is Z-plus? There is not a single security person here. Do not spread lies," she said.
From the alleged vandalism at a party office to police conduct, political cases, central forces and the law-and-order situation, Banerjee's Facebook Live became a sweeping attack on the BJP, both in the state and at the Centre.
She also invoked the plight of hawkers and shopkeepers, alleging that night-time operations and demolitions were leaving ordinary people distressed.
"Let ordinary people live peacefully. That is our democratic right," she said, adding that people would eventually "hand you a lollipop".
The BJP-TMC confrontation has moved beyond allegations over one damaged office, with both sides seeking to turn the incident into evidence for their competing narratives on political violence and law and order in West Bengal.
(With inputs from PTI)
