After West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee arrived at the CBI office in Kolkata to protest against the probe agency arresting her party leaders in the 2016 Narada sting case, hundreds of Trinamool Congress supporters resorted to stone pelting at the office of the central investigative agency.
Miffed by the arrest of four TMC leaders namely Firhad Hakim, Subrata Mukherjee, Madan Mitra & Sovhan Chatterjee, a large mob of TMC supporters initially gathered outside the CBI office. They waved party flags and raised slogans against the central agency. Soon, the TMC goons began pelting stones at the security forces and the CBI office.
#WATCH | TMC protesters pelted stones on security forces in West Bengal outside the CBI office. pic.twitter.com/GxGUZmIQxe
— ANI (@ANI) May 17, 2021
Indiablooms’ West Bengal correspondent, Deepayan Sinha, shared visuals outside of CBI office which is located in Nizam Palace in Kolkata. In video footage, it can clearly be seen how TMC goons breached security protocols, broke barricades and unleashed mayhem.
#WATCH: Earlier visuals from outside #CBI office in #Kolkata‘s Nizam Palace where situation turned violent after agitating #TMC workers broke barricades, pelted stones at Central cops. @indiablooms pic.twitter.com/KqqISKeUA8
— Deepayan Sinha | দীপায়ন | दीपायन (@sdeepayan) May 17, 2021
Journalists attacked by TMC goons
Besides attacking the security forces, the Trinamool Congress hoodlums also attacked the media. TV9 journalist Anindya wrote, “JUST IN: My colleague Saurav Guha reports, cars of different media houses are attacked outside Nizam Palace, which houses CBI office in Kolkata. UPDATE: Another colleague Sujit Pal, who has been reporting from outside Nizam Palace, since morning, has been roughed up by the unruly mob.”
UPDATE: Another colleague Sujit Pal, who has been reporting from outside Nizam Palace, since morning, has been roughed up by the unruly mob.
— Anindya (@AninBanerjee) May 17, 2021
TMC hoodlums try to break into Raj Bhawan
Meanwhile, Swarajya reported that the DIG (CBI) wrote a mail to the central agency’s Headquarters, informing how West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee was obstructing them from conducting their duty and if any action could be taken against her. Around the same time, Trinamool Congress goons reached Raj Bhawan (Governor’s House) and began agitating outside the premises. Later, some of the hooligans tried to scale the gate. Sensing physical harm to the Governor, the police pushed the mob behind. They were heard raising slogans such as ‘Governor go back’
Update: Trinamool workers staging protests outside Raj Bhawan, had tried to scale the gates but police pushed them back. TMC supporters raise ‘Governor go back’ slogans.
— Swarajya (@SwarajyaMag) May 17, 2021
West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar raises alarm bells over deteriorating law and order situation
In a tweet, Dhankhar said, “Concerned at alarming situation. Call upon Mamata Banerjee to follow constitutional norms & rule of law. West Bengal Police, Kolkata Police, State Home Ministry must take all steps to maintain law & order. Sad- situation is being allowed to drift with no tangible action by authorities.”
Concerned at alarming situation. Call upon @MamataOfficial to follow constitutional norms & rule of law.
— Governor West Bengal Jagdeep Dhankhar (@jdhankhar1) May 17, 2021
Police @WBPolice @KolkataPolice @HomeBengal must take all steps to maintain law & order.
Sad- situation is being allowed to drift with no tangible action by authorities.
He further gave a message to Mamata Banerjee. “Total lawlessness & anarchy. Police and administration in silence mode. Hope you realize repercussions of such lawlessness and failure of constitutional mechanism. Time to reflect and contain this explosive situation that is worsening minute by minute,” he said. He further said that he has drawn the attention of Mamata Banerjee on arson, stone-pelting carried out outside the CBI office. “Pathetic that Kolkata Police and West Bengal Police are just onlookers. Appeal to you to act and restore law and order,” he concluded.”
Invited attention @MamataOfficial “On channels and in public domain I notice arson and pelting of stones at CBI office. Pathetic that Kolkata Police @KolkataPolice and West Bengal Police @WBPolice are just onlookers.
— Governor West Bengal Jagdeep Dhankhar (@jdhankhar1) May 17, 2021
Appeal to you to act and restore law and order.”
Narada Sting Operation
Just ahead of 2016 West Bengal state assembly elections, Narada news founder Mathew had conducted a sting operation for over two years. Narada news released the sting operation videos showing 13 TMC ministers and leaders accepting bribes in return of favours or misusing official positions before the elections creating ripples in the political landscape of West Bengal.The operation put an additional dent on the reputation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, as she and her party were already under criticism for the Saradha chit fund scam.
As part of this operation, Samuel had floated a fictitious company to approach several TMC ministers, for favours in return for money. Firhad Hakim, Mukul Roy (now with the BJP), Saugata Roy, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, Sultan Ahmed, Subrata Mukherjee, Suvendu Adhikari (now with the BJP), Sovan Chatterjee (who joined the BJP and then quit), Aparupa Poddar, Madan Mitra, Iqbal Ahmed, Prasun Banerjee and HMS Mirza were the ones who were seen on the sting video.
