Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Derek O’Brien fell down a staircase amid a confrontation at the party’s office in Kolkata on Thursday, later alleging that more than 150 police personnel had “illegally trespassed” into the building.“At 3.30 pm the Kolkata Municipal Corporation came with an illegal notice backed by the Kolkata police. The notice was not signed. The notice said a photograph was attached, but there was no photograph. The notice did not have any details… For over one and a half hours, we tried to explain to them. Then they illegally trespassed into the building. More than 150 police officers went in there. They pushed and shoved us on the staircase,” O’Brien said, addressing reporters.He further claimed that TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee was present during the incident and linked the police action to the party’s annual students’ rally scheduled for the following day. O’Brien also alleged that police had “illegally” picked up 10 to 15 TMC workers.“They pushed and shoved us on the staircase. Abhishek was also there. This was done today because tomorrow is the students’ annual rally of the Trinamool Congress. This is all BJP and BJP’s B-team who are playing. First, I’m going to the police station because they’ve illegally picked up 10 or 15 of our team workers,” O’Brien added.The incident took place after personnel from the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), accompanied by Kolkata Police, removed a signboard reading ‘All India Trinamool Congress’ from a building on Camac Street that houses the office of TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee.
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Banerjee criticised the administration in a post on X, alleging that democratic norms were being eroded in the state. He argued that such a structure could only be removed after the affected party had been heard by a court and an order had been passed.A KMC team was initially stopped by Banerjee and his supporters, who questioned the validity of the order the officials were carrying. The team later returned with a fresh order and a larger police contingent, which entered the building and proceeded to the roof to remove the hoarding, as cited by PTI.Banerjee also alleged that several billboards above shops on Camac Street, including those belonging to the BJP, remained untouched, questioning why the KMC and police had not taken similar action against them.
