TMC, BJP workers clash ahead of PM’s rally; stones thrown at minister’s house

Kolkata, March 14: Clashes broke out between TMC and BJP supporters in central Kolkata on Saturday, barely half an hour before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally at the Brigade Parade Ground, leaving a police officer and a leader of the saffron party injured, officials said.
Allegations also surfaced that stones were thrown at the residence of West Bengal minister Shashi Panja in Girish Park area.
The violence took place around 5 km from the rally venue as BJP supporters were marching to attend the prime minister’s meeting, which marked the culmination of the party’s statewide ‘Parivartan Yatra’ ahead of the Assembly elections.
Panja, flanked by her cabinet colleague Bratya Basu and MP Saayoni Ghosh, told a press meet later in the day that she was hit on the abdomen by bricks hurled by the attackers from outside, and several supporters of her party, including her office staff, were injured.
Panja claimed that the attackers “wanted to kill me.” “Is this BJP’s narrative about Poriborton (change) to mount an attack on a woman minister and the residence of veteran politician late Ajit Panja!” she said.
According to eyewitnesses, supporters of both parties allegedly threw stones at each other and raised slogans, triggering tension in the busy locality.
The officer-in-charge of Bowbazar police station, Bappaditya Naskar, was injured while trying to control the situation, police sources said.
The BJP also claimed that its north Kolkata district president, Tamaghno Ghosh, and several party workers were injured in the clashes.
BJP leaders alleged that their supporters were attacked without provocation while heading towards the rally venue.
The party further alleged that several vehicles, including buses carrying supporters to the rally, were damaged in the clashes. (PTI)