Kolkata: Even before BJP President Amit Shah could start with his attack on Mamata Banerjee over the contentious Assam NRC issue, Trinamool Congress was prepared to take on the BJP chief with its own 'Dhikkar Diwas' observed across different districts of the state.
Shah was greeted with black flags by Congress and TMC workers at Eastern Metropolitan Bypass when his convoy moved towards the Port Trust Guest House from Kolkata airport.
The protesters also raised slogans against PM Narendra Modi and Amit Shah.
Anti-BJP posters were put up near several areas around Shah's rally, including at Mayo Road, where Shah delivered his speech. The posters read, ‘Anti-Bengal BJP go back’.
Condemning Trinamool's tactics, BJP state president Dilip Ghosh said, “TMC intentionally announced their ‘Dhikkar Diwas’ today because they wanted to prevent our party workers from neighbouring districts to attend Amit Shah ji’s event. But they failed, as lakhs of people attended the meeting today and this only shows that no one can stop ‘Parivartan’ in Bengal.”
TMC issued a statement saying, “BJP has just concluded another flop show in Bangla. After the flop meeting, BJP is looking for excuses. They are saying their meeting was blacked out. Black outs and blackmailing is what BJP does. Don’t insult the media. Everyone showed their event. We challenge the BJP to prove their charges, either they prove it, or resign.”
Reacting to TMC’s statement, Ghosh said, “TMC is nervous now because they never imagined that so many people will attend the BJP rally today. People of Bengal ignored and rejected ‘Dhikkar Diwas’ called by the TMC and attended our meeting against illegal infiltrators in Bengal. People are fed up with the TMC and now they are looking for a change.”
Meanwhile, a bus carrying BJP workers headed for Amit Shah's rally was allegedly intercepted by TMC workers and attacked with bamboo sticks.
In most of the districts, including West Midnapore, Burdwan, Birbhum, North 24-Parganas, South-24-Parganas, Nadia, Howrah, Hooghly, Malda and Murshidabad, TMC workers organized protest rallies against NRC. They demanded the withdrawal of the draft NRC as 40 lakh people have been left out of it in Assam.
In Hooghly district, some Trinamool supporters tonsured their head to protest against the NRC.
Trinamool Congress district president and Bansberia MLA, Tapan Dasgupta, said, “We have organsied several rallies across the district against the BJP government at the Centre over NRC in Assam. In protest, party workers have shaved off their heads. We strongly condemn NRC and tomorrow we will intensify the ‘Dhikkar Diwas’.”
As announced by TMC general secretary Partha Chatterjee on Friday, the two-day ‘Dhikkar Diwas’ will continue till Sunday across districts in Bengal.
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