Kolkata, February 24 Activists from the Trinamool Congress and the BJP clashed outside the CEO's office in Kolkata on Tuesday evening after TMC activists allegedly showed shoes to Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, and raised "go back" slogans.
The BJP alleged that Adhikari was shown black flags and shoes when he was leaving the office of the CEO in the BBD Bag area of central Kolkata, but accompanying police escorted him and helped him board the car parked near the GPO.
Angered BJP activists countered the slogans raised by TMC workers and clashed with members of the rival party, but the police managed to separate both sides and ensure that neither group came face to face.
An unfazed Adhikari, who came to the CEO's office "to submit some evidence related to the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls," shouted "Jai Shri Ram" as the hundreds accompanying him joined the slogans.
"They turned the area outside the office of the Chief Electoral Officer, West Bengal, into a warzone. Waving BJP flags, these rabid thugs abused reporters with the vilest profanities, smashed police barricades, pelted bottles, and ran riot like feral animals," the TMC said in a post on its official X handle.
"This is the true culture of the BJP. When they face electoral defeat, sanity evaporates, and they release their pet thugs to intimidate, threaten, and attack government officials," the TMC said.
Urging the Election Commission to take note, the TMC said, "We hope the lawyers at @ECISVEEP are watching these crystal-clear visuals of barbarism. We hope they take this to the Supreme Court and demand immediate exemplary action against the BJP and Suvendu Adhikari."
A senior police officer said that both groups left the spot, and the situation did not worsen after Adhikari left.
He said that the police have no knowledge about shoes being shown to Adhikari by TMC workers who had assembled before the CEO's office to protest the "harassment of ordinary voters due to the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls."
Adhikari accused the TMC of "orchestrating mayhem" in the area and insulting him before the personnel of the Kolkata Police.
"CP Supratim Sarkar failed to ask his force to act impartially and restrain the TMC from insulting the Leader of the Opposition, who is entitled to the same security as a cabinet minister. They are only interested in providing security to the chief minister," he said.