Kolkata's Girish Park Tense After BJP-TMC Clash at Minister's House
An uneasy calm descended upon Kolkata's Girish Park neighborhood on Sunday, following a day of violent clashes between supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Trinamool Congress (TMC). The residence of Shashi Panja, Minister of Industry and Commerce, Women and Child Welfare, bore visible scars from the attack, with dents in the door and shattered window panes, as local residents continued to grapple with fear and anxiety.
Police Deployment and Local Accounts
In response to the violence, authorities established a police picket and erected barricades around the minister's house to prevent further incidents. Pintu Hazra, a TMC worker and resident of Girish Park's ward 26, provided a firsthand account of the events. He stated that he was among three to four party workers inside the house when the violence erupted.
"We came out of the house and asked why they were tearing those banners. They started raining blows on me," Hazra recounted. He alleged that BJP workers, traveling on buses en route to a rally, disembarked in front of the house, chanted 'Jai Shri Ram' slogans, and tore down "No Vote to BJP" banners. According to Hazra, the situation escalated rapidly, with approximately 200 BJP supporters from four to five buses gathering and beginning to pelt stones at the minister's residence.
"We were hugely outnumbered. Sensing trouble, we ran inside. We did not notice any locals among those attacking," he added, noting that Minister Panja was not present at home during the initial attack but rushed back after being informed.
Witness Testimonies and Blame Game
Debraj Verma, a local contractor, described overseeing pavement repair work near the minister's house when the violence broke out. "I was overseeing pavement repair work a few steps from the minister's house when people from the bus started pelting stones. Soon, retaliation followed from the other side. I fled the place with my labourers," Verma said, highlighting the chaotic nature of the clash.
As the blame game intensified between political factions, local residents expressed deep concerns about the potential for escalating violence in the lead-up to the assembly elections. Pratima Das, a cucumber vendor on the pavement, questioned the motives behind the incident. "Why would the buses carrying BJP supporters stop on their way to the rally? So, it is anybody's guess as to who started the clash. What followed was scary," she remarked, recalling how she sought refuge in a nearby medicine shop during the turmoil.
Impact on Local Community and Businesses
The clash forced several shops in the vicinity to shut down temporarily, disrupting daily life and commerce. Raju Gupta, who has operated a snacks shop in the area for nearly two decades, closed his establishment for about three hours due to fears of damage and injury. "I shut my shop for nearly three hours fearing damage and injury," Gupta stated, underscoring the economic and personal toll on local entrepreneurs.
Akin Chand Kar, a resident of Girish Park, condemned the incident and voiced broader societal concerns. "Such incidents will only divert attention from real issues that matter to citizens. We want political parties to debate real issues and not fight on streets like this. If this is the beginning, we fear more such incidents will follow before the polls," Kar emphasized, reflecting widespread apprehension among the community about future political tensions.
The incident has cast a shadow over Girish Park, with residents and business owners anxiously monitoring the situation as election season approaches, hoping for peace and stability in their neighborhood.
