Trinamool Congress national general secretary and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee alleged on Thursday that a group he identified as BJP workers stormed the party’s office at 9 Camac Street in central Kolkata around 4:30 a.m., attacking staff, snatching phones, smashing furniture and destroying electronic equipment. Banerjee, who was in New Delhi at the time, released videos he said showed the aftermath and CCTV footage of the incident.
In a post on X, Banerjee wrote: “What happened at Camac Street this morning is a disgraceful assault on the rule of law. At around 4.30 am, BJP hooligans, armed with weapons, stormed our party office in the heart of Kolkata. They attacked our people, snatched their phones, smashed furniture, ransacked the premises and destroyed electronic equipment. And where was Kolkata Police? For nearly TWO HOURS, despite repeated calls and emails from our people and lawyers, there was no response. This is outrageous and unacceptable.” He demanded immediate arrests of those involved and an investigation into who planned the attack and why police did not respond despite being informed.
In a follow-up post he asked whether the West Bengal Governor, the Union Home Minister or the Prime Minister’s Office would act, or continue to “look the other way.” He also questioned Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, asking why the government was “so scared of the Trinamool Congress and of me” that it resorted to “intimidation.” Banerjee called the episode “political thuggery” and said the Chief Minister had no moral authority to remain in office. The All India Trinamool Congress official account echoed the charge, describing an “armed attack” and asking how the attackers knew the office layout.
The Camac Street premises is the same office that saw a tense confrontation last Thursday, 27 August. On that afternoon a team of Kolkata Municipal Corporation officials, backed by a large Kolkata Police contingent, arrived to remove what civic authorities called an unauthorised TMC billboard and hoarding from the rooftop of the multi-tenant building. Banerjee and other TMC leaders, including Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien, objected, alleging no proper notice had been served and that police and civic staff used force to enter. A scuffle followed on the stairs; police later registered three FIRs naming Banerjee, O’Brien and others for obstruction and assault of public servants, and arrested 13 people. Banerjee described the earlier action as “hooliganism” and “political vendetta.” Subsequent visits by police and fire officials for a safety audit added to the friction at the same address.
Kolkata Police have detained six people for questioning in connection with Thursday’s early-morning incident. No official police statement on the latest allegations as yet, and BJP leaders had not issued a detailed response at the time of writing. Banerjee has asked the Calcutta High Court to take note of what he called a pattern of violence, vandalism and intimidation.
