Mamata Banerjee. File
| Photo Credit: ANI

The supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) on Wednesday (February 19, 2025) held protests over West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s remarks directed at the ongoing Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh.

“Maha Kumbh has become Mrityu Kumbh. Why was such a hype created over the event without any planning?” the Chief Minister had said while participating in a debate in the West Bengal Assembly on Tuesday (February 18, 2025). She was referring to the stampede resulting in deaths during the ongoing religious event.

State BJP president Sukanta Majumdar held protests in central Kolkata over the remarks and alleged that the remarks by the Chief Minister was aimed at appeasement of her vote bank. Mr. Majumdar said the Chief Minister, who is regular at the Eid-ul-Fitr prayers at Kolkata Red Road, should join 50 crore Hindus and take a holy dip at Kumbh.

Mr. Majumdar said he had written a letter to Governor C.V. Ananda Bose asking him to intervene in the issue. “Through this letter, I urge you to expunge the statement from the Vidhan Sabha record, take cognisance of the matter and seek public apology from the Chief Minister,” Mr. Majumdar wrote in the letter.

The supporters of ABVP also held protests over the issue outside the West Bengal Assembly. The ABVP supporters, who raised slogans opposing the Chief Minister, were detained by the police outside the Assembly gates.

Not only BJP leaders from West Bengal, but also from other States condemned the remarks of the Chief Minister. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said the West Bengal Chief Minister should apologise for her remarks.

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday (February 19, 2025) took to social media and posted a video of the comments made by the Chief Minister in the State Assembly on Tuesday (February 18, 2025) saying that he would continue to fight against Ms. Banerjee.

“You can’t scare me. I will keep on fighting democratically till you are dethroned. My fight against your dynastic & appeasement politics and corrupt regime would continue,” Mr. Adhikari added.

The Leader of Opposition was suspended along with three BJP MLAs on Monday (February 17, 2025) for creating ruckus in the House. A privilege motion has also been moved against Mr. Adhikari for making communally-charged statements.

BJP MLAs walkout

In another development, BJP legislators walked out of the West Bengal Assembly, protesting the Speaker’s refusal to allow a discussion on an adjournment motion over the proposed decision to allow 30% of the land to be used for other purposes other than tea cultivation. The Chief Minister had made the announcement at the recently concluded Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS) and certain tea garden unions have raised protests against the proposal.

Speaker Biman Banerjee, while withholding consent to a discussion on the adjournment motion brought by some BJP members, allowed party legislator Vishal Lama to read out the motion.

The Speaker said the issue could be discussed during the session and there was no need for an adjournment motion to be allowed over it. Protesting the Speaker’s decision, the BJP MLAs raised slogans and walked out of the House.