Mamata Banerjee Accuses BJP of Army Misuse in Protest Stage Dismantling

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday accused the central government of misusing the Indian Army to dismantle a protest stage erected by the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in Kolkata. The stage was part of a demonstration against alleged atrocities on Bengali-speaking migrants in BJP-governed states.

Banerjee criticized the BJP's 'vendetta politics,' asserting that the party's government is using the Army for political purposes, which she deemed unethical and undemocratic. She explained that the Army should have coordinated with local authorities before removing the stage, which was set up beside the Gandhi statue in the Maidan area.

A defense official stated that the Army granted permission for the event for two days, in line with Supreme Court guidelines. However, the stage remained for almost a month, leading to its removal after several unheeded reminders to the organizers.

(With inputs from agencies.)