Mamata Banerjee Interrupted by 'Go Back' Slogans During Speech at London College
New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday faced massive protests during her speech at Oxford University's Kellogg College in London. Student leaders of the Student Federation of India (SFI) raised slogans of 'Go Back' and raised questions on the post-poll violence in Bengal as well as issues related to RG Kar Medical College.
However, Chief Minister Banerjee handled the situation with restraint and responded to the protesters while maintaining decorum. Initially, the guests in the audience were shocked by the sudden protest, but they appreciated the Chief Minister's response. Finally, CM Mamata Banerjee finished her speech without any interruption. She was heard telling the protesters, "Tell your party to increase their strength in our state (West Bengal) so that they can fight us."
When the incident took place around the time the chief minister was delivering her speech, former Indian cricket team captain Sourav Ganguly was also present in the audience. Reacting to this, the Trinamool Congress chief showed an old photo of herself from the early 1990s with a bandage on her head and claimed that it was proof of an attempt to assassinate her when she was in the opposition.
The ruckus started when an audience member asked him about 'specific investment proposals' worth "lakhs of crores". As the CM tried to answer, another member of the audience intervened. The CM asked the audience to stop as this was not a press conference.
Though there were several meetings related to industry and trade during the London visit, the speech of the Chief Minister at Kellogg College stole the limelight. Eventually, the protestors were forced to leave the hall due to mass protests from the rest of the audience. The Chief Minister had been invited to Kellogg College to speak on the social development of women, children and marginalised sections of the society.
While speaking, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was referring to projects like 'Swasthya Sathi' and 'Kanyashree' in the state. While speaking about the industrial situation in West Bengal, when the topic of investment in Tata's TCS company was raised, some people from the back of the audience stood up with placards in their hands. These had written on them about the elections and post-election violence in the state as well as the RG rape case. The audience tried to make their point by shouting during the Chief Minister's speech.
However, the Chief Minister was not at all perturbed by this and continued to handle the protest in a calm but firm tone from the beginning. CM Banerjee told the protesters, "You are welcoming me, thank you. I will feed you sweets."
When the protesters raised the issue of the rape case by making an RG, the Chief Minister retorted, “'Speak a little louder, I am unable to hear you. I will listen to everything you say. Do you know that this case is pending? The responsibility of investigating this case is now in the hands of the Central Government, the matter is no longer in our hands.'
Mamata Banerjee further said, "Don't do politics here, this is not a platform for politics. Go to my state and do politics with me."
After this, the protesters also raised the issue of the Jadavpur University incident. The Chief Minister then addressed a protester as brother and said, "Don't lie. I sympathize with you. But instead of making this a platform for politics, go to Bengal and tell them to strengthen their party so that they can fight us."
Hearing the Chief Minister's reply, the guests present in the audience started clapping loudly. After this, the protesters tried to raise their voice. The Chief Minister also replied to them, "Do not insult your institution by insulting me. I have come as a representative of the country. Do not insult your country."
Later, the organizers of the event and the guests present collectively raised their voice against the protesters. The protesters were forced to leave the venue.
Apart from many NRIs, representatives from various countries were also present to listen to the speech of the Chief Minister. However, the organizers of the program have apologized to the Chief Minister for this unexpected incident.
However, the Chief Minister calmly said, “You have encouraged me to come here again and again. Remember, Didi does not care about anyone. Didi moves like a Royal Bengal Tiger. If you can catch me, catch me!”
Meanwhile, the All India Trinamool Congress wrote on Twitter: “She (Mamata Banerjee) does not flinch. She does not falter. The more you prod, the more ferociously she roars. She is a Royal Bengal Tiger!”
Amidst the constant interruptions, someone from the audience raised a question about the treatment of Hindus in Bengal.
CM Banerjee responded, “I am for everyone, Hindus and Muslims,” following which a section of the audience raised “go back” slogans.
The protest was led by members of the left-wing students' organisation Students' Federation of India (SFI-UK), who accused CM Banerjee and her government of corruption and suppression of democratic rights.
