West Bengal CM Adhikari orders FIR against Mamata Banerjee over Calcutta HC order breach
Synopsis
West Bengal's BJP Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has directed police to file an FIR against his predecessor Mamata Banerjee, alleging she flouted Calcutta High Court conditions at a TMCP rally — including blocking both traffic lanes despite a court order to keep one free. The move signals a sharp escalation in the state's political battle, with even the TMC's own rebel faction backing the allegation.
Key Takeaways
West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari on 29 August directed police to file an FIR against former CM Mamata Banerjee .
The alleged violation: blocking both road lanes at the TMCP foundation day rally in central Kolkata , breaching a Calcutta High Court order to keep one lane free for traffic.
The court had granted only conditional permission for the Friday rally, including a cap on participant numbers.
TMC's 'rebel' faction leader and Leader of the Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee corroborated the violation allegations.
Mamata Banerjee, speaking at the rally, predicted TMC's return to power in West Bengal; her camp had not responded to the FIR directive at the time of reporting.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday, 29 August announced that an FIR would be filed against former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for allegedly violating conditions set by the Calcutta High Court during the foundation day rally of the Trinamool Congress' student wing, Trinamool Chhatra Parishad (TMCP), held in central Kolkata on Friday.
What the Court Had Ordered
The Calcutta High Court had granted conditional permission to the Mamata Banerjee-led faction of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) to hold the rally. Among the key conditions was a directive that the procession remain confined to a single lane, keeping the adjacent lane open for traffic movement. Authorities also reportedly imposed a cap on the number of participants permitted to attend.
What Adhikari Alleged
Chief Minister Adhikari told reporters that the violations were plainly visible. 'The Court clearly directed us to conduct the rally keeping one of the two lanes free for traffic movement. The former Chief Minister assembled people and blocked both the lanes. I have directed the police to register an FIR in the matter. I have also directed the police to approach the Calcutta High Court in the matter. The matter will not be taken so easily,' Adhikari said.
Opposition Leader Backs the Allegation
Ritabrata Banerjee, leader of the so-called 'rebel' faction within the TMC and the current official Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, corroborated Adhikari's account. 'The Calcutta High Court gave a specific direction on the maximum number of people that would be allowed to participate in the rally, while ordering the restriction of the rally to a single-lane. The former Chief Minister was seen inciting a section of her followers to break the barricades dividing the two lanes and occupy the entire road. This kind of mentality is not something that can be easily brought out of her DNA,' Ritabrata Banerjee alleged.
Mamata Banerjee's Counter at the Rally
Addressing the TMCP rally on Friday afternoon, Mamata Banerjee struck a defiant tone, asserting that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led state government's actions would ultimately pave the way for TMC's return to power. 'The ordinary BJP supporters will teach their own party leadership a lesson soon. Very soon Trinamool Congress will return to power in West Bengal,' she said. At the time of reporting, no formal response had emerged from the Mamata Banerjee camp regarding the FIR directive.
Broader Context
This episode reflects the deepening political fault lines in West Bengal following the BJP's rise to power in the state. The dispute over rally conditions is the latest flashpoint in an increasingly adversarial relationship between the incumbent BJP administration and the TMC, which governed the state for over a decade under Mamata Banerjee. Notably, internal divisions within the TMC — evidenced by the 'rebel' faction's alignment with the FIR push — add a further layer of complexity to the opposition's posture ahead of the next state assembly elections.
Point of View
Which suggests the intra-party fracture is now being weaponised in judicial and political arenas simultaneously. For Mamata Banerjee, the optics are complicated: her defiant rally rhetoric about BJP's 'excesses' now sits alongside allegations that her supporters physically broke court-mandated barricades. Whether this becomes a genuine legal proceeding or a political pressure tactic will be clearer once the court takes cognisance.
NationPress
29 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is an FIR being filed against Mamata Banerjee?
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has directed police to file an FIR against former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for allegedly violating conditions imposed by the Calcutta High Court for the TMCP foundation day rally held in Kolkata on Friday. The key alleged violation was blocking both lanes of the road despite a court order to keep one lane free for traffic.
What conditions did the Calcutta High Court set for the TMCP rally?
The Calcutta High Court granted conditional permission for the rally, directing that it be confined to a single lane so the adjacent lane remained open for traffic. The court also reportedly set a cap on the maximum number of participants. Authorities allege both conditions were breached.
Who is Ritabrata Banerjee and why does his statement matter?
Ritabrata Banerjee is the leader of the 'rebel' faction within the All India Trinamool Congress and the official Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly. His corroboration of the violation allegations is significant because it comes from within the TMC's own ranks, not just from the ruling BJP.
What did Mamata Banerjee say at the TMCP rally?
Addressing the rally on Friday afternoon, Mamata Banerjee said the BJP-led state government's actions would help the Trinamool Congress return to power in West Bengal. She also predicted that ordinary BJP supporters would 'teach their own party leadership a lesson soon.'
What happens next after the FIR directive?
Chief Minister Adhikari has directed police both to register an FIR and to approach the Calcutta High Court in the matter. The court's response to the police petition will likely determine the legal trajectory of the case. No response had emerged from Mamata Banerjee's camp at the time of reporting.
