Clashes broke out between BJP supporters and student activists those of the Left and Trinamool Congress during Amit Shah's roadshow in the city on Tuesday, news agency PTI reported quoting officials.
Trouble began after stones were pelted at Amit Shah's convoy as it passed through College Street and the arterial Bidhan Sarani on its way to Swami Vivekananda's residence in north Kolkata, a little over 3.5 km from Esplanade in the heart of the city, where it began.
Responding to the incident, Shah urged the people of Bengal to respond to the violence with votes. “ I would like to appeal to the people of Bengal to give a response to this violence with their votes in the last phase. It's necessary to oust TMC once to put an end to violence in the state,” he told new agency ANI, adding that TMC supporters were frustrated and hence attacked the rally.
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee also visited the spot where clashes took place and said that TMC cadres were not involved. “Is Amit Shah above God that none can protest against him,” she also said.
The scuffle broke outside the Calcutta University campus on College Street, when student activists of both the Left and the TMCP shouted slogans against Shah, they said.
They showed black flags and waved posters with "Amit Shah go back" written on them.
Another clash took place outside Vidyasagar college and university hostel when TMCP activists threw stones at Shah's convoy, the officials said.
The agitated BJP supporters locked the gates of the hostel and set cycles and motorbikes parked outside on fire. They also threw stones at the building.
A bust of Ishwar Chandra Vidysagar, after whom the college is named, which was outside hostel building was broken by BJP supporters during the clash, the officials said.
A huge police contingent was rushed to the spot and controlled the situation, they added.
A delegation of the BJP met the Election Commission following which party spokesperson Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that they have demanded the arrest of ‘disturbing elements’, flag march by central forces and a restriction on campaigning by Mamata Banerjee.
The TMC later tweeted that it has sought a meeting with the Election Commission on Wednesday, 15 May, in the aftermath of the “attack on Bengal’s heritage” after Shah’s roadshow in Kolkata.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley also attacked the TMC, raising concerns whether ‘free and fair’ elections are possible in the state. He also congratulated Shah and PM Modi for their efforts in West Bengal.
TMC MP Derek O’ Brien, on the other hand, tweeted saying, Bengal will not forgive Shah.
Condemning the act, CPI (M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury, said "attacking knowledge" was central to the BJP's "poisonous project".
“By this ugly show in the capital of Bengal, do BJP and TMC think they will win support? It is an act of desperation where they have both revealed their destructive and unacceptable agenda for Bengal,” he tweeted.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, meanwhile, said that the TMC supremo was killing democracy as she is scared of her impending defeat.
(With inputs from PTI)
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