Don’t provoke me: Mamata 'warns' Suvendu over Lakshmir Bhandar

Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo and former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday, 28 August turned the Trinamool Chhatra Parishad’s foundation day rally in Kolkata into a combative political offensive, taking direct aim at incumbent chief minister Suvendu Adhikari, the BJP, the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the police, even as a rival TMC faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee sought to project itself as the state's principal opposition.

At the Mamata-Abhishek Banerjee camp’s rally on Cathedral Road, Banerjee warned Suvendu against touching Lakshmir Bhandar, Bengal’s flagship welfare scheme launched by her government, and threatened to retaliate by exposing his alleged wrongdoings. “We have not yet started to open up your deeds. If you stop Lakshmir Bhandar of the people, I will start opening your bhandars (treasure troves),” she said, without naming Suvendu directly.

She also reminded him of his family’s long association with the TMC. “Do not forget that you and your father adorned several ministries and departments of the government when you were with us. Don’t provoke me,” she said.

The warning came as Banerjee signalled that she was preparing to take the political battle directly to the districts. “I will now start my district visits and I challenge BJP to stop me,” she said, adding that the BJP was “already in a turmoil in Delhi”.

Her speech repeatedly sought to cast the BJP as a threat that should not intimidate voters or TMC supporters. “I will tell all the people across class, creed, caste and religion that do not be afraid of the BJP. We are there for you,” she said.

Taking aim at the electoral process, Banerjee alleged that “the Election Commission deleted lakhs of names to make sure BJP wins”. She described the BJP and its supporters as a “high voltage virus” and accused the party of reaching power through manipulation of votes. “They have become MLAs with the help of the Election Commission and rigging votes. They do not even know the responsibilities of the respective administrative positions,” she alleged.

She also warned that the political fight over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls was not over. “Remember, SIR is still not finished. The way the votes were rigged, people will give answer at the right time,” she said.

The political messaging was sharpened by the existence of a rival foundation day programme led by rebel leader Ritabrata Banerjee, giving the day the appearance of an internal contest over who speaks for the party’s student wing.

The Calcutta High Court had denied both factions permission to hold their programmes at the traditional Mayo Road venue and instead allotted Cathedral Road to the Mamata-Abhishek camp and Rani Rashmoni Road to Ritabrata’s faction. Both programmes were subject to a noon-3.00 pm time limit and a 1,500-person attendance ceiling, with one lane to remain open for traffic.

Ritabrata’s faction, widely been seen as a 'token opposition' to the BJP, used the rival platform to raise questions that could prove politically awkward for the party establishment. Ritabrata called for the restoration of student union elections, which have remained suspended in colleges for a prolonged period, and questioned the presence of BJP representatives on college governing bodies. “Why are BJP representatives included in college governing bodies?” he asked.

Mamata’s rally began amid considerable confusion. She arrived at the Cathedral Road venue shortly after 1.00 pm, when crowds surged towards the stage and guardrails were pushed aside. Several vehicles entered the rally area and an ambulance became caught in the congestion.

Rather than allow the meeting to continue while the road remained blocked, Mamata ordered that the vehicles be allowed through. She personally stood by as traffic was cleared and instructed party workers to cooperate with the police.

At the same time, she questioned why vehicles had been allowed into the rally zone in the first place and accused the authorities of making it difficult for her faction to hold its programme. “Those who are closing all the roads to make way for their masters, can go to Nabanna and salute them there,” she said, attacking the police. “The police I see are very different from what I knew before. They are doing anything and everything they are feeling like by the orders of their political bosses,” she said.

One of the sharpest sections of Banerjee’s speech focused on the recent police action at the TMC office on Camac Street. “Why did you go to Camac Street with gas cutters? Why did you arrest our people from our Camac Street office?” she asked.

She contrasted the action with what she described as widespread BJP posters and banners across Kolkata. “There are lakhs of illegal posters and banners of BJP all over the city and even in front of my house. Can you remove them?” she asked.

Banerjee also said her party would pursue legal action against police officers. “We will lodge cases against the police for their atrocities. BJP do not have people with them and hence [they are] using the police for atrocities,” she said.

Presenting herself as a product of student politics, Banerjee reminded the gathering: “I started my career as a student leader.” She accused the BJP of creating an atmosphere of fear in universities and colleges and claimed that students were facing atrocities across the country.

On alleged political cases against TMC supporters, she said she and party MP Kalyan Banerjee would fight those facing what she described as false cases. “If needed, I will go to the international court,” she said.