London: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee faced an unexpected interruption during her speech at Kellogg College, Oxford University, on Thursday, when a group of protesting students attempted to disrupt her address. The protesters raised issues related to post-poll violence and the RG Kar College and hospital financial scandal in an effort to embarrass the Chief Minister. However, Banerjee handled the situation with composure and responded to the protesters while maintaining her courtesy.
Initially, the audience was taken aback by the sudden protest, but they later applauded the Chief Minister’s calm and dignified response. Banerjee was heard telling the protesters, "Tell your party to increase its strength in our state (West Bengal) so that they can fight with us." She concluded her speech without further disruptions.
Former Indian cricket team captain Sourav Ganguly was also present in the audience during this incident. While the Chief Minister’s visit to London included various industry and trade-related meetings, her speech at Kellogg College was the highlight of her trip. The incident, though momentarily disruptive, showcased Banerjee’s ability to handle challenging situations with grace, further enhancing her reputation as a seasoned politician on the international stage, according to political analysts.
Eventually, the protesters were forced to leave the hall following collective disapproval from the rest of the audience.
Chief Minister Banerjee was invited to speak at Kellogg College on the social development of women, children, and marginalized sections of society. During her address, she highlighted initiatives like ‘Swasthya Saathi’ and ‘Kanyashree’ in West Bengal. While discussing the industrial scenario in the state, particularly investments in Tata’s TCS company, a group of attendees stood up holding placards referencing election-related violence and the RG Kar financial scandal. They attempted to make their point by shouting during her speech.
Unfazed, Banerjee continued to address the protesters in a calm yet firm tone. She said, "You are welcoming me, thank you. I will feed you sweets." When the protesters raised the RG Kar case, she responded, "Speak a little louder, I cannot hear you. I will listen to everything you have to say. Do you know that this case is pending? The responsibility of investigating this case is now in the hands of the Central government; the case is no longer in our hands."
She further added, "Don’t do politics here; this is not a platform for politics. Go to my state and do politics with me." When the protesters brought up the Jadavpur University incident, Banerjee addressed one of them as "brother" and said, "Don’t lie. I have sympathy for you. But instead of making this a platform for politics, go to Bengal and tell your party to strengthen itself so that they can fight with us."
Her composed response earned loud applause from the audience. The protesters tried to raise their voices again, but Banerjee reminded them, "Don’t disrespect your institution by insulting me. I have come here as a representative of the country. Don’t insult your country." Eventually, the organizers and attendees collectively opposed the protesters, forcing them to leave the venue.
The event attracted not only expatriate Indians but also representatives from various countries. The organizers apologized to the Chief Minister for the unexpected disruption, to which she calmly replied, "You have encouraged me to come back here again and again. Remember, Didi does not care about anyone. Didi walks like a Royal Bengal Tiger. If you can catch me, catch me!"
Meanwhile, the All India Trinamool Congress praised her resilience on X, posting: "She doesn’t flinch. She doesn’t falter. The more you heckle, the fiercer she roars. @MamataOfficial is a Royal Bengal Tiger!"
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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