West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, while addressing the Kellogg College, Oxford University in London, on Thursday, was interrupted suddenly by a group of protesting students, who tried to disrupt her speech and embarrass the Chief Minister by raising the issue of post-poll violence and the RG Kar College and hospital rape case.
However, Chief Minister Banerjee managed the situation with a cool head and responded to the protesters while maintaining courtesy.
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Initially, the guests present in the audience were shocked by the sudden protest, but they applauded the Chief Minister’s response.
Finally, CM Mamata Banerjee concluded her speech without any hitches.
She was heard telling the protesters, “Tell your party to increase its strength in our state (West Bengal) so that they can fight with us.”
When this incident took place around the Chief Minister’s speech, former Indian cricket team captain Sourav Ganguly was also present in the audience.
In response to the heckling, the Trinamool Congress Chief pulled up an old image of herself from the early 1990s, showing her with a bandaged head, claiming it as proof of an attempt to kill her during her time in the opposition.
The drama unfolded when an audience member asked her about ‘specific investment proposals’ worth “lakhs of crores” that she claimed the state had received while Mamata Banerjee was speaking about West Bengal’s development and investment opportunities.
As the CM tried to respond, another member in the audience intervened. The CM argued the audience to stop as it was not a press conference.
Although there were various meetings related to industry and trade during the London visit, the main attraction of the Chief Minister’s visit was this speech at Kellogg College.
And that’s where this unexpected incident happened.
In the end, the protesters were forced to leave the hall in the face of the collective protests by the rest of the audience.
The Chief Minister was invited to speak at Kellogg College on the social development of women, children and the marginalised sections of the society.
While speaking, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was mentioning projects like ‘Swasthya Saathi’ and ‘Kanyashree’ in the state.
While speaking about the industrial situation in West Bengal, when the topic of investment in the Tatas’ TCS company was raised, some people from the back of the audience stood up with placards in their hands. It had written about the election and post-poll violence in the state, as well as the RG rape case.
The protesters tried to make their point by shouting during the Chief Minister’s speech.
The Chief Minister, however, was not the least bit disturbed and continued to handle the protests in a calm but firm voice 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 RG Kar rape case, the Chief Minister retorted, “‘Speak a little louder, I cannot hear you. I will listen to everything you have to 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 case 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 one of the protesters as brother and said, “Don’t lie. I have sympathy for you. But instead of making this a platform for politics, go to Bengal and tell your party to strengthen itself so that they can fight with us.”
Hearing the Chief Minister’s reply, the guests in the audience started clapping loudly.
After this, the protesters tried to raise their voices. The Chief Minister also told them in return, “Don’t disrespect your institution by insulting me. I have come here as a representative of the country. Don’t insult your country.”
Later, the organisers of the event and the guests present collectively raised their voices against the protesters.
The protesters were forced to leave the venue.
In addition to many expatriate Indians, representatives from several different countries were also present to listen to the Chief Minister’s speech.
However, the organisers of the event have expressed their regret to the Chief Minister for this unexpected incident.
The Chief Minister, however, calmly said, “You have encouraged me to come back here again and again. Remember, Didi does not care about anyone. Didi walks like a Royal Bengal Tiger. If you can catch me, catch me!”
Meanwhile, the All India Trinamool Congress wrote on X: “She (Mamata Banerjee) doesn’t flinch. She doesn’t falter. The more you heckle, the fiercer she roars. @MamataOfficial is a Royal Bengal Tiger! #DidiAtOxford.”
Amid the relentless interruptions, someone in the audience raised a question about the treatment of Hindus in Bengal.
“I am for all, Hindus and Muslims,” CM Banerjee responded which was followed by “Go back” slogans from a section of the audience.
The protest was led by members of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI-UK), a left-wing student organisation, who accused CM Banerjee and her government of corruption and suppressing democratic rights.
“You should give me a chance to speak. You are not insulting me; you are disrespecting your institution,” the West Bengal Chief Minister said accusing the section of the audience of being “ultra-left and communal friends”.
“These people do this everywhere. They do it wherever I go. I support every religion. I support Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians. Do not name one caste, name everyone. What you people are doing is not right. The politics you people are doing, my ultra-left friends and communal friends don’t do that,” she said.
Amid the drama, Mamata Banerjee pulled out an image of herself from the 1990s, showing her with a severe head injury and bandages.
“First see my picture, how an attempt was made to kill me,” Banerjee said holding up the image as she spoke.
After the event, SFI-UK issued a statement taking responsibility for the protest, saying they opposed Banerjee’s “corrupt and undemocratic rule” in West Bengal.
