New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee faced heckling during her address on social development at the University of Oxford’s Kellogg College on Thursday, with a section of the audience questioning her role in the flight of industries from the state and the RG Kar Medical College rape-and-murder case.
While Mamata did not lose her cool, as she had in the past when confronted with uncomfortable questions, at one point, she appeared visibly upset and alleged that the hecklers had “leftist, ultra-leftist, and communal” affiliations. Among those who confronted Banerjee were Indian students enrolled at the University of Oxford, while some others could not be identified.
Halfway through her speech, as Mamata sought to showcase the investment proposals that West Bengal has drawn in the recent past, a person in the audience asked her to cite examples instead of numbers.
“Can you name a few?” the person asked, after Mamata claimed that the state received investment proposals worth Rs 19 lakh crore of which “Rs 14 lakh crore have already been implemented”, suggesting that the proposals fructified. Soon after, another person asked, “Why did Tata run away from your state?”
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo, whose protests against the acquisition of land at Singur by the Tata Group for setting up the Nano automobile factory, had catapulted her to power in 2011, responded, saying that the industrial group has set up industries in many places of West Bengal including Kharagpur and Rajarhat near Kolkata.
As soon as she finished answering, voices rang out from the audience blaming Mamata for the rape and murder of a 31-year-old female postgraduate trainee doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in August 2024.
“You have killed Abhaya (as the victim came to be known symbolically), Abhaya was killed under your leadership,” shouted a group of students. The incident had sparked widespread protests against the TMC government in the state and beyond its borders too.
“I can’t hear, speak more loudly please. I don’t mind. Please raise your voice, it is a democracy. I will listen carefully,” she shot back. But the voices refused to die down, with another student asking “What about RG Kar?”
“The case is sub-judice and also it is the central government which has taken over. It is not with us. Please don’t do politics here. It is not a political stage. That you can do with me in my state, not here,” she responded, alluding to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) takeover of the rape-cum-murder case.
The student countered the CM saying that in West Bengal, Mamata critics are given threats of physical harm.
“You are lying. Don’t do it brother. I have a special affection for you. We all love all of you but don’t try to make it into a political platform. If you make it a political platform, go to Bengal and tell your party to be more strong to fight against the communal people. Don’t fight with me,” Mamata said, holding up an old picture showing her bandaged following injuries she suffered while protesting against the Left Front government in 1993.
The episode had taken place in July 1993 when the police had beaten Mamata, then a Youth Congress member, while she was leading a rally to Writers’ Buildings, the erstwhile secretariat.
“I was about to die. This is your atrocity. Just have a look,” the West Bengal chief minister said, only to be taunted as a “drama queen” from someone in the audience.
“This is not a drama platform, this is a platform where you need to allow people to listen, don’t behave like this, this is misbehaviour. Instead of insulting me, you are insulting your own institution, don’t disrespect your institution. You can disrespect me, but you cannot disrespect your institution. Everywhere this is their habit, they cannot change their habit. wherever I go,” Mamata said, at this point visibly upset with the turn of events.
Just as there was some semblance of order getting restored at the event, a voice from the back shouted “Any word for Hindus? How many Hindus got killed?”
The TMC supremo did not waste the opportunity to project herself as an inclusive politician. “I am for all, I am for Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Isai (Christian), I am for unity, you people are not. Don’t mention only one caste, mention all the castes together,” she said.
Mamata also warned the hecklers that “their leaders” can also land in a similar situation when they undertake such official visits.
“It is very easy to do the politics here, to do the narrative work here, but please my ultra Left friends and Left friends and some communal forces, don’t behave like this. I love that your agenda is fulfilled, my best wishes to all of you…After this programme, I will try every year twice to come to the university and address your people. Didi works just like a Royal Bengal Tiger, catch me if you can, but don’t fight me, try to behave in a proper way,” she said.
In a series of posts on ‘X’, the UK unit of Students’ Federation of India (SFI) acknowledged that it held a demonstration in Kellogg College, Oxford against Mamata’s speech.
“We opposed her blatant lies by asking her for evidence of the social development she claims to pioneer. Instead of allowing us to peacefully express our opinions, the police were called,” it said. “In support of the students and working masses of West Bengal, SFI-UK raised its voice in opposition to Mamata Banerjee and the TMC’s corrupt, undemocratic rule.”
(Edited by Tony Rai)
Also Read: Tapasi Mondal’s ‘aya ram gaya ram’ is routine in Bengal. Now the communal genie is out
