Trinamool MP Shashi Panja speaks to the media, in Kolkata, Saturday, March 14, 2026, after clashes broke out between Trinamool and BJP supporters, barely half an hour before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally at the Brigade Parade Ground, leaving a police officer and a BJP leader injured, officials said.
| Photo Credit: PTI
Kolkata
Trinamool Congress Minister and MLA Shashi Panja’s residence was attacked on Saturday (March 14, 2026) by Bharatiya Janata Party workers en route to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public address in Kolkata. However, both parties accused each other of initiating the violence.
On Saturday morning, before Mr. Modi’s meeting at the Brigade ground, clashes broke out between workers and supporters of the two political parties in the streets of north Kolkata near Girish Park. Ms. Panja, an MLA from north Kolkata, resides at Girish Park, where the clashes broke out. During the violence, her house was pelted with stones and vandalised. Broken glass was seen across her residence, which also doubles as the Trinamool’s party office.
Women and Child Development and Social Welfare Minister Ms. Panja said she was physically injured during the attack on her house. She added that several party workers sustained injuries and were sent to a local hospital for treatment. Ms. Panja was seen wearing a bandage around her collarbone on Saturday evening.
“I am shocked after this incident… This shows that the BJP is housing goons and murderers. All these years we thought they only murder democracy, but now I realise they want to commit murders physically,” Ms. Panja said at a press conference on Saturday evening.
The Shyampukur constituency MLA also alleged that the BJP does not spare women or Ministers and said bricks were thrown at her, one of which hit her stomach and injured her. Trinamool leaders alleged that their workers and Ms. Panja’s house were attacked without any provocation.
A few injured workers joined Ms. Panja and other Trinamool leaders at the press conference with bandages around their eyes, hands, and foreheads. Ms. Panja said at least 50 Trinamool workers were injured in the clashes.
“They [BJP workers] attacked Minister Shashi Panja’s house with stones and glass bottles… I have never heard of any Minister’s house being attacked in independent India,” State Education Minister Bratya Basu said.
Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha MP Sagarika Ghose claimed that the incident had exposed the “dirty murderous goondaism” of BJP workers ahead of Mr. Modi’s visit.
Local police personnel also sustained injuries in the scuffle while trying to control the situation.
Deputy Commissioner of Police, Central Division, Indira Mukherjee said the police were investigating the matter and had taken stock of the situation.
BJP workers attacked
Meanwhile, BJP leaders alleged that buses carrying their workers to the Prime Minister’s meeting at the Brigade ground were stopped near Girish Park. The BJP accused the local police of playing a role in the incident. BJP Lok Sabha MP Sukanta Majumdar said that after the buses were stopped, Trinamool workers pelted stones at their workers, leading to a scuffle.
Mr. Majumdar alleged that BJP workers were attacked with stones by Trinamool workers. “Even Trinamool councillors were present at the spot. When such an attack started, police ran away and tried to hide, they did not try to intervene. All local councillors are involved in this and this is being led by Shashi Panja,” Mr. Majumdar said.
Mr. Majumdar also visited party workers who were injured and admitted to a local hospital.
Published – March 14, 2026 07:52 pm IST
