Trinamool continues protest against harassment of Bengali migrant workers from 'new stage'

Kolkata, Sep 2 (IANS) A day after Indian Army jawans dismantled the Trinamool Congress's stage at Mayo Road, the party erected a new stage at Dorina crossing in the Esplanade area of Central Kolkata to continue its protest against the harassment of Bengali migrant workers in BJP-ruled states. 

On Tuesday, workers started to erect a stage at Dorina Crossing, which is about 2 kilometres from the Gandhi statue at Mayo Road, the initial venue for Trinamool protest movements. 

Later in the day, the Indian National Trinamool Trade Union Congress (INTTUC), Trinamool's trade union organisation, held a protest meeting there and slammed the BJP for trying to stop the party from protesting against the harassment of Bengali migrant workers.

"Our protest, our language movement cannot be stopped by conspiracy. The BJP wanted to silence the voice of Bengal by using the army as a political weapon, and broke up the dharna stage on Mayo Road. Yet it could not stop the struggle to protect the rights of Bengalis," Trinamool Congress said in a social media post.

The party further said, "Every time the BJP insults and harasses Bengal and Bengalis, we will protest. We will fight more vigorously. As per the instructions of Honourable Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, a new stage was set up at Dorina Crossing to protest against language terrorism."

The development came a day after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the BJP-led government at the Centre of misusing the Indian Army after its jawans dismantled a stage which was erected by Trinamool Congress to protest against atrocities on Bengali-speaking migrant workers in BJP-ruled states. 

She had announced that the protest would continue from a different venue.

The Indian Army took Monday started dismantling the TMC's stage erected beside the Gandhi statue in the Maidan area in central Kolkata, which falls under the Army's control. 

However, as soon as the development was reported, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee rushed to the spot and protested against the Army’s move. 

Seeing the Chief Minister at the spot, Indian Army jawans stopped dismantling the stage and left the area.