Mamata Banerjee Accuses BJP Supporters of Disrupting Protest March Over Child's Rape and Murder

TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday alleged that BJP supporters disrupted her party's protest march over the rape and murder of an 11-year-old girl in Baruipur, while also claiming that the police had acted as an "arm" of the saffron party. Addressing a gathering at Hazra Crossing in south Kolkata after the culmination of the protest march, Banerjee alleged that BJP supporters obstructed the rally and assaulted Trinamool Congress workers at several places along the route. "The high court allowed our rally, but BJP goons stopped it. How can the police undermine the court's order allowing the rally? BJP goons beat up our party workers. Is this democracy?" she said. Workers of the BJP and the TMC youth wing clashed during the rally, prompting police personnel to baton charge to control the situation. The rally, which was organised by youth workers of the Mamata Banerjee-aligned TMC after securing a green signal from the Calcutta High Court and originated from Ballygunge Phari in southern Kolkata, was repeatedly obstructed by BJP workers who raised "thief" slogans and even tried to set up human barricades along the protest march route along the Hazra Road.