Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders staged a sit-in protest in Rajghat against the Centre on Monday, news agency ANI reported. After the delegation of party leaders reached Raj Ghat, according to party's senior leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay, the Delhi Police attacked TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee. Speaking with media, Bandyopadhyay stated: "Just now, they tried to attack Abhishek Banerjee...I was there...Shame to this Government, we are surprised." Earlier today, key party leaders, including Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee, met in New Delhi ahead of the party's two-day protest against the Modi government's alleged indifference to West Bengal.
Over the attack, MP Abhishek Banerjee said: "These people are scared, that is why they are doing this. Their fear has started showing. Why else would they do such things?"
"As I said, a lot of attempts were made and conspiracy was done to stop our two-day event in Delhi on 2-3 October. First, permission was not granted, now we are not being allowed to speak," he stated.
In response, Delhi Police stated: "On this very important day of birth anniversary of Father of Nation Mahatma Gandhi, thousands of people were visiting Rajghat - the Samadhis Sthal - to pay homage. TMC leaders were requested not to sit at Samadhi Sthal. Despite repeated requests, they were not listening. Due to that public entry was affected and that resulted in a gathering of people around Samadhi Sthal. Therefore, to avoid public inconvenience as well as in the interest of their own safety, TMC leaders were requested to vacate the samadhi Sthal peacefully."
The Mamata Banerjee-led party organised a demonstration in the national capital against the alleged rejection of MGNREGA and housing project funds to the Bengal government.
TMC leader Babul Supriyo stated: "We did a peaceful protest. I feel that political fights have their own place but you are using agencies in political fights. All the parties have stood against it because they are doing injustice...They have stopped funds (for MGNREGA and other schemes) which is against the federal structure. So, we have come to Delhi."
TMC leaders, including Abhishek Banerjee, paid tributes to former PM Lal Bahadur Shastri at Vijay Ghat on his birth anniversary.
Earlier, Abhishek Banerjee also demanded the arrest of Union Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Giriraj Singh, claiming that the deaths of three children in Bankura district in a mud house collapse could have been avoided if the family had received adequate financial assistance under the government housing scheme to build brick and mortar housing.
Banerjee stated that Giriraj Singh has indicated his unwillingness to meet with TMC officials since he would be in Delhi, despite the fact that he is set to meet with BJP MPs from Bengal.