BJP's march to Nabanna a flop show, ignore it: Mamata tells partymen

KOLKATA: Dubbing BJP's 'March to Nabanna' as a flop show, Trinamool Congress (TMC) chairperson Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday urged her party workers to ignore the saffron party's rally as it failed to make any impact.

She said this at a meeting of party leaders in Kharagpur on Tuesday afternoon. As per reports, Banerjee told party leaders that BJP's event was a 'poor show' as the attendance of BJP party workers was also negligible. "It is best to ignore the event," she added.

Condemning the violence, Trinamool Congress national general secretary, Abhishek Banerjee, sharing a video of BJP workers vandalising a police van, tweeted: "Today, not just Bengal but the nation saw a glimpse of what @BJP4Bengal hooligans are capable of doing to our City of Joy. We shudder to imagine what they would've done had they come to power. WB, thank you for rejecting them! Now, it's TIME FOR INDIA TO REJECT THEM!"

Later, Trinamool Congress also claimed that BJP's programme was a massive failure. Sharing a video made of clips from a regional news channel showing the violence unleashed by BJP workers on the city roads during their rally, TMC tweeted: "@BJP4Bengal's 'Nabanna Abhiyaan' was a MASSIVE FAILURE! People's lives disrupted.

Several police personnel gravely injured. Idea of 'peaceful protest' ridiculed. Govt property vandalized. Innocent lives put in danger Net output: people of Bengal HATE BJP EVEN MORE!"

About 20 police personnel suffered injuries in Howrah and Kolkata. Among them, an Assistant Commissioner of Kolkata Police, and Additional OC, Jorabagan, have been hospitalised.

Later, sharing another video of policemen being assaulted with canes allegedly by BJP workers, TMC tweeted: "HYPOCRISY OF @BJP4India EXPOSED! Is this what our police personnel deserve? They go out of their way for protecting people - come rain or shine! They keep us safe at all times. On Rakhi, @BJP4Bengal leaders tie rakhis to @WBPolice personnel & pose for photos." In yet another video from the official handle of Trinamool Congress, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari is seen threatening the IPS officers of arrest. In response to the video, the party tweeted: "@BJP4Bengal leader @SuvenduWB THREATENS @WBPolice & IPS Officers who were simply doing their job. What does this indicate? Beyond the two #Puppets Of BJP ED & CBI, WHAT ELSE DOES @BJP4India CONTROL? Can we expect any justice in this nation under BJP's misrule." However, Millennium Post couldn't independently verify the authenticity of such videos.

The party further tweeted: "@BJP4Bengal karyakartas or HOOLIGANS? Destroying & damaging government property, attacking police personnel, causing chaos and disrupting peace across the state - today's activities of BJP that brought shame upon the entire nation. We STRONGLY CONDEMN such outrageous behavior."

Meanwhile, the party supremo asked Soumen Mahapatra to visit the house of Tarak Jana, who was assaulted by BJP workers in Tamluk. Some BJP supporters had torn the poster of Mamata Banerjee. When Jana protested against the same, BJP workers had gheraoed and assaulted him with lathis. Later, police rescued him and took him to a toll plaza.

Kunal Ghosh, state general secretary of TMC, said: "The BJP had failed to bring enough supporters and had resorted to violence. They pelted stones at police and set a police jeep on fire." Lashing out at Suvendu Adhikari, Ghosh said: "It was really amazing to see that Adhikari had entered the prison van without any resistance. Moreover, when some lady police officers tried to take him away he was found shouting — don't touch me I am a male."

Firhad Hakim said: "BJP does not have organisation and always tries to create law and order problems by resorting to violence. No leader was found near the police barricade. The leaders are more interested in making statements before the electronic media."