The political storm over Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s remarks on the Indian Army intensified on Thursday, with Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari joining a protest staged by former army personnel at Dharmatala. The ex-servicemen were holding a sit-in demonstration against Mamata’s controversial comments, which had accused the Army of opening a TMC stage under BJP instructions.
Taking a sharp dig at the Chief Minister, Adhikari said, “The Army did not run away from you. You ran away from Mayo Road and went to Dorina Crossing after seeing the Army.” He accused Mamata of being “anti-national” and “anti-army”, demanding her resignation over the remarks.
The protest by retired army officers was initially denied permission by police citing ongoing electrical work. However, the Calcutta High Court granted conditional approval, allowing the dharna provided no political leader was present on stage. Questions arose over Adhikari’s presence, but the BJP leader clarified, “I have come here not as a party leader but as Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly. There is no question of violating the court’s order. We abide by the law.”
Adhikari further asserted, “The Indian Army fears no one. China fears them, and Pakistan begs at their feet. It is laughable to say they ran away at the sight of Mamata Banerjee. Her behaviour is no different from the tukde-tukde gangs.”
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The controversy began after Mamata, in an angry outburst, claimed that Army personnel had acted on BJP’s instructions while setting up a TMC’s stage near the Gandhi statue in central Kolkata to protest alleged harassment on Bengali-speaking people in BJP-ruled states. She alleged that the Army “fled” when she arrived at the spot. The TMC later accused the BJP of “misusing” the Army after failing to use agencies and the Election Commission against them.
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The issue sparked uproar in the state Assembly. Education Minister Bratya Basu further added fuel to the fire by comparing the incident to “Pakistan Army’s act” during Bangladesh’s liberation war in 1971 drawing protests from the BJP in the state Assembly. Amid the chaos, the speaker suspended Adhikari, leading to a separate debate.
Meanwhile, the dharna by retired army personnel has added a new dimension to the controversy, with the opposition portraying Mamata’s remarks as an insult to the armed forces. The TMC, on the other hand, continues to maintain that the BJP is orchestrating the row to divert attention from other issues.
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