West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government during the Trinamool Congress’ annual Martyrs’ Day rally in Kolkata, vowing to continue her fight until the BJP is removed from power at the Centre.
“Our fight will continue till we oust the BJP from the Centre,” said Mamata Banerjee, addressing a large crowd of supporters at Esplanade. The annual rally on ‘Shaheed Diwas’ marks the killing of 13 youth Congress workers in 1993 during a protest in Kolkata.
Targeting the BJP over rising crimes against women, Mamata Banerjee demanded answers and accountability from the saffron party.
“The BJP should answer why women in states ruled by it are facing atrocities,” she said, adding, “We are against any form of atrocities against women, take immediate action against such incidents.”
“We have to win more seats in the 2026 Bengal assembly election, then aim to defeat the BJP at the Centre,” Trinamool Congress supremo said at the rally.
She also raised concerns about the treatment of Bengalis in the BJP-ruled states, claiming they are being singled out and persecuted.
“Bengalis being harassed, put in detention camps in the BJP-ruled states,” the CM alleged.
Sharpening her attack on Himanta Biswas Sarma, Banerjee said, “The Assam chief minister, who cannot properly handle his own state, meddling in affairs of Bengal, Mamata Banerjee at TMC Martyrs’ Day rally.
In a sharp political accusation, Banerjee said there was a coordinated attempt to disenfranchise Bengalis.
“The BJP and the Election Commission are conspiring against Bengal and want to remove Bengalis from the voter list,” she alleged, without citing specific incidents.
“The BJP is planning to conduct special intensive revision (SIR)-like exercise in West Bengal, but we will never allow it,” Banerjee said.
This year’s Shaheed Diwas rally holds significance as it is being seen as the launchpad for the TMC’s campaign for the 2026 West Bengal assembly election.
The BJP, meanwhile, had dismissed the allegations as political posturing, blaming the TMC government for the chaos over the documentation of migrant workers and infiltration.
Apart from Banerjee, TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee was the key speaker at the rally.
Traffic Curbs for the rally
In view of the event, the Kolkata Police put in place a slew of traffic measures in the central part of the city. The processions related to the annual TMC rally in Dharmatala was permitted only before 8 am and after 11 am. The police released a notification outlining extensive traffic restrictions for passenger vehicles from 4 am to 9 pm on July 21.
Earlier,the single bench of Justice Tirthankar Ghosh directed that processions will be allowed until 8 a.m. and will be given until 9 a.m. to settle down.
Processions will be allowed to resume only after 11 a.m. to prevent traffic congestion in Kolkata’s central business district between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m., the court said.
“From 9.00 a.m. to 11.00 a.m., the police authorities would ensure that there is no traffic congestion through the routes which will lead to the High Court at Calcutta or within a fringe of 5 kilometers where the Offices are situated at the Central Kolkata… Commissioner of Police, Kolkata would ensure that deployment of police force be adequately maintained to ensure smooth traffic movement,” the Court’s July 18 order reads.
