TMC protest in Bengal LIVE: ‘I will sit wherever I am stopped,’ says Mamata Banerjee as police denies permission

Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Mamata Banerjee defied police orders by vowing to hold a sit-in protest in West Bengal against alleged attacks on party workers and the Railways' hawker eviction drive, declaring she would sit wherever stopped. BJP leader Rahul Sinha criticized the protest’s legality, claiming the incidents were orchestrated by TMC’s Abhishek Banerjee to target the BJP, while Banerjee accused opponents of using threats to undermine her leadership." "article": "Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Mamata Banerjee announced plans to proceed with a sit-in protest in West Bengal despite police denial of permission. She stated that the protest would address alleged attacks on 12 TMC workers since the Assembly elections and the arrest of thousands of party activists, many of whom fled their homes. Banerjee declared, ‘I will sit wherever I am stopped,’ and expressed readiness to be arrested, emphasizing that Kolkata and Bengal had been ‘handed over to lumpens.’ Meanwhile, traders and hawkers blocked railway tracks at Gobardanga Railway Station in North 24 Parganas district to protest against the eviction drive targeting encroachers. The protests reflect broader tensions following the state elections, where TMC accused the ruling party of harassment. BJP leader Rahul Sinha questioned the protest’s legitimacy, arguing that police permission was required and that all involved in the incidents had been apprehended. He claimed the situation was ‘orchestrated by Abhishek Banerjee’ to tarnish the BJP and demand increased security. Sinha dismissed the protest as ineffective, asserting the public would not be swayed by TMC’s rhetoric. Banerjee countered by stating she would relocate the protest to Delhi if denied permission in Kolkata. She also alleged receiving messages suggesting dissident leaders might return to TMC if Abhishek Banerjee, her nephew and party general secretary, was removed from leadership. Banerjee dismissed such claims, asserting her party’s principles would not be dictated by opponents. The standoff highlights deepening political divisions in West Bengal, with TMC and BJP exchanging accusations over security, governance, and electoral integrity. Police have yet to clarify their stance on the protest’s legality, leaving the situation unresolved.