‘Where Is The Order?’ Abhishek Banerjee Clashes With Police, KMC Over Camac Street Billboard

A tense situation unfolded outside Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee's office on Camac Street in Kolkata on Thursday afternoon after Kolkata Police and Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) workers arrived to remove a Trinamool Congress billboard from the roof of the office.

Police and municipal workers reached the office with a gas cutter to dismantle the billboard. A large police force was deployed at the spot, while the operation led to heated exchanges between Abhishek Banerjee, party MP Derek O'Brien, office staff, police personnel and municipal workers.

According to the information available, the police and KMC workers had gone to the office to remove the TMC billboard installed on its roof. Abhishek questioned how the police and civic workers could enter the office when the billboard was outside the premises.

He also questioned the order under which the operation was being conducted and raised questions over its legality. Abhishek alleged that the police and municipal workers had forcibly entered the Camac Street office. He further alleged that the notice for removing the billboard was incomplete.

The police, however, said they had sufficient documents with them for the operation. The situation escalated as office security guards allegedly scuffled with police personnel. Some office staff also accused the police of coercion.

When the police and municipal workers entered the office, Derek O'Brien attempted to stop them by lying down. Abhishek and Derek O'Brien confronted the police and municipal workers inside the office and initially prevented them from proceeding towards the roof.

They were first stopped outside the office and later inside the premises. However, the police and civic workers eventually overcame the resistance, reached the roof and began dismantling the billboard. Abhishek also criticised the police during the confrontation.

“They have forgotten that their salaries are paid by the tax money of the common people,” he said. Slogans were also raised during the confrontation, with some people heard shouting slogans such as 'Jai Bangla' and 'Police, take off your uniform'.

The process of removing the billboard from Abhishek Banerjee's Camac Street office has begun.