TMC holds silent rallies to protest 'attack' on Mamata

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) supporters organised silent rallies across the state to protest against the alleged 'attack' on Mamata Banerjee and demanded a thorough investigation into the matter. Following banerjee's instructions, the party workers held rallies either in a single line or along one particular side of the road, without causing any inconvenience to people in general.

Addressing a press conference, Partha Chatterjee, TMC secretary general, said: "We believe that the attack on Mamata Banerjee was pre-planned and demand a proper probe into the incident by the Election Commission. Our delegation met ECI officials in New Delhi today (Friday) and placed their demand," he said.

Trinamool workers organised rallies in all blocks and wards across the state to protest against the incident. They wore black badges and covered their mouths with black cloth. They carried posters, demanding an inquiry into the incident.

In Kolkata, all the front ranking leaders including Subrata Bakshi, Partha Chatterjee, Firhad Hakim, Sadhan Pandey, Shashi Panja, Atin Ghosh and Debashis Kumar took part in silent rallies in their respective areas.

Chatterjee was found leading a protest rally in Behala. Silent rally was also organised at Birulia in Nandigram on Friday evening where Banerjee was allegedly attacked. People from all walks of life attended it. They prayed for her speedy recovery and also protested against the attempt of BJP to spread misinformation over the incident.

There were rallies at different parts of Howrah and other districts of South Bengal. Rallies were brought out under the leadership of Rabindranath Ghosh and Gautam Deb.

Shortly after Banerjee sustained injuries in Nandigram on Wednesday, she was taken to Kolkata and admitted to SSKM Hospital. Soon after the news spread, party workers and sympathisers put up road blockades in different areas demanding arrest of those involved in the attack. Supporters gathered outside SSKM and shouted anti-BJP slogans.

Through a video message from the hospital bed, Banerjee requested people to maintain calm and restrain from doing anything that would cause inconvenience to the people.

Meanwhile, Partha Chatterjee on Thursday had denied a report published in a section of the media that Banerjee had received injuries after the door of the vehicle she was travelling in banged on her left leg after hitting an iron post. Trinamool leaders had shown images that the vehicle that she used in Nandigram had no scratches or even a dent on the left door. Without naming the BJP, Chatterjee had said: "A political party is trying to circulate this through a section of print and electronic media. This is absolutely baseless."