"Why is it afraid of protest?": Abhishek Banerjee slams BJP over Mamata's detention
TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee compares current government actions to Hitler after Mamata Banerjee and TMC leaders were detained during a protest in Delhi.
In a scathing attack on the central government, Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Abhishek Banerjee has questioned the legitimacy of the ruling party, asking why a government elected by the people appears so terrified of the common man's right to protest. The outburst follows the detention of West Bengal former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and several TMC leaders in central Delhi.
The confrontation unfolded as a delegation of TMC parliamentarians and leaders attempted to stage a peaceful protest. According to Banerjee, the authorities did not just stop the protest but actively suppressed the democratic right to dissent, a move he described as surpassing even the era of Adolf Hitler.
"A Super Emergency": TMC slams Delhi Police action
The TMC has characterized the police intervention as a sign of a "Super Emergency" and a "dark day for democracy." The party alleged that the Delhi Police prevented leaders from raising slogans or displaying posters before forcefully bundling them into police vans. These leaders were then reportedly taken to an undisclosed location.
The official TMC handle on X (formerly Twitter) echoed these sentiments, posing direct questions to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The party highlighted that while Mamata Banerjee and five Members of Parliament were simply sitting at a bus stop to protest against the alleged theft of votes in Bengal, they were denied even that basic form of expression.
Allegations of widespread detentions and travel restrictions
Abhishek Banerjee raised serious concerns regarding the mass detention of citizens in the national capital. He claimed that approximately 2,500 people have been detained across Delhi, including:
- Party activists and supporters
- Individuals with no political affiliation
- Bystanders who were simply standing on the street
Furthermore, Banerjee accused the government of bypassing Supreme Court directives by shutting down vital transport hubs. He alleged that metro stations, railway stations, and airports are being closed to prevent ordinary citizens from reaching protest venues, claiming the government is now doing what protesters used to do—blocking movement to stifle dissent.
The Gyanesh Kumar Connection
The TMC MP also issued a stern warning regarding the ongoing investigations, specifically mentioning Gyanesh Kumar. Banerjee asserted that the detention of Kumar would trigger a chain reaction that no high-ranking official could avoid.
"If Gyanesh Kumar is arrested, no one—not even the BJP's top, powerful leaders—will escape; everyone will end up behind bars," Banerjee declared, suggesting that the consequences of recent actions would eventually reach the highest echelons of the ruling party.