Chaos at Abhishek Banerjee’s office as TMC billboard put up ‘without nod’ removed

A confrontation erupted at Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee's office on Thursday when Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) officials, supported by police, arrived to remove a billboard they claimed was installed without proper authorization. Banerjee and several TMC leaders formed a human barrier, obstructing the path of the police and KMC officials as they attempted to move through.

The altercation lasted approximately one hour. Banerjee, who broadcast the entire incident live on Facebook, claimed that the order to remove the billboard lacked a memo number and a photograph of the billboard, despite the order stating otherwise. He alleged that the police exceeded their authority by forcefully entering his office, despite the billboard being located on the roof.

Banerjee further stated that KMC workers, including women, were injured and that he intended to take the matter to the Calcutta High Court the following day. He accused the police of acting "beyond their jurisdiction" and characterized them as "the Bharatiya Janata Party’s slave," noting that there are 400 BJP billboards on Camac Street, none of which have been removed.

An anonymous officer from the Park Street police station confirmed that TMC workers guarding the building's entry point had assaulted several policemen. When asked to respond to Banerjee's allegations, agricultural marketing minister Dilip Ghosh dismissed them, stating that the police's initial failure to carry out their duties made them appear biased, but now that they are performing their duties, Banerjee perceives them as biased.