- By Nidhi Giri
- Mon, 01 Sep 2025 05:07 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday snapped at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after the Army dismantled a stage prepared by the Trinamool Congress beside the Gandhi statue in Maidan area in central Kolkata. The TMC supremo termed BJP's "vendetta politics" as the reason behind the Army action. The stage was erected to protest against atrocities on Bengali-speaking migrant workers in BJP-ruled states.
"I do not blame the Army, but the BJP's vendetta politics is behind it. The double-engine government of the BJP is to be blamed. They are misusing the Army. This is unethical, undemocratic," Mamata Banerjee said, as quoted by PTI.
Mamata Banerjee further said that the Kolkata Police should have been consulted before dismantling the stage. "They could have called me and I would have removed the stage within a few minutes," she said.
"I don't blame the Army, just appeal to them to remain neutral and not play in the hands of the BJP," Benerjee further said.
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A defence official stated that the Indian Army (Local military Authority, Kolkata) gives permission for events in the Maidan area for a duration of two days, as directed by the Supreme Court.
"Permission for events greater than three days needs to be obtained from the MoD, Govt of India. Permission for conduct of events was provided for two days. However, the stage has been put up for almost a month. Several reminders have been sent to the organisers for the removal of the temporary structure. However, it was not removed," the defence official said in a statement, as per PTI.
