Mamata Banerjee alleges 'hooliganism' outside her house, attacks on TMC leaders in Bengal

New Delhi: Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday alleged that groups of people carry out "hooliganism" daily outside the residences of opposition leaders, including hers, with the backing of the state government.

Speaking at a press conference in Delhi, Banerjee, who is also the Trinamool Congress chief, said 200 to 300 people gather outside her residence every night and raise slogans. She claimed that her security arrangements have also been withdrawn.

"Every day, hooligans come -- 200 to 300 of them together -- under the instructions of the current government. They shout, they do hooliganism in front of my house and everybody's house," she claimed.


The former West Bengal chief minister also pointed to attacks on TMC leaders, including Kalyan Banerjee, Mahua Moitra and Abhishek Banerjee, in recent weeks.

TMC MP Mahua Moitra has approached the Calcutta High Court alleging police inaction after eggs were thrown at her during a visit to her Krishnanagar constituency on September 16, despite an earlier court direction to provide her security during constituency visits.

TMC MLA Kunal Ghosh has also alleged that his car was attacked with stones and eggs in Hooghly on September 26 when he was on the way to attend a rally addressed by Banerjee. He alleged that his vehicle's windscreens were damaged in the incident.

Earlier this month, TMC leader and MP Abhishek Banerjee alleged that BJP workers vandalised his office on Camac Street in Kolkata. While the BJP denied involvement, the police said they had arrested six people, whose political affiliations were not known at that stage.

Banerjee alleged that local police stations have effectively become BJP offices; police were being used to intimidate opposition workers.

"Local police stations have become their (the BJP's) block offices... And police headquarters has become their state committee office," she alleged.

Banerjee also claimed that more than 14,000 cases have been registered against TMC leaders, workers and supporters. She said fresh cases are being filed after people obtain bail.

The former chief minister said that post-election, more than 70 people have been killed and more than 45 cases of sexual violence were reported. She said she did not know how many people have been forced out of their homes.

Banerjee said the situation has created fear among opposition workers and ordinary people.

"Don't believe me, don't trust me, you are open to judge from your side," she added.