Kolkata, March 28 (NationPress) A political controversy has ignited in West Bengal concerning the disruption of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s speech at Kellogg College, United Kingdom (UK) by a group of Indians living there.

The protest during her address at the college affiliated with Oxford University was primarily orchestrated by the UK chapter of the CPI(M)’s student wing, the Students Federation of India (SFI).

The leadership of the ruling Trinamool Congress has condemned the interruption of Mamata Banerjee’s speech, asserting that such actions constitute an insult to India, particularly since it occurred while a state’s Chief Minister was delivering a keynote address at a highly esteemed university.

Conversely, leaders from opposition parties like the BJP and CPI(M) have argued that the reaction from Indians, especially from the student community in England, was predictable given the realities in West Bengal and the Chief Minister’s “deceptive claims” made during her keynote speech.

“Those who anticipated they could disrupt the Chief Minister ultimately had to retreat due to her composed management of the situation, as well as the spontaneous support from the majority of attendees. The individuals behind this nuisance were envious of the progress made in West Bengal under her leadership. They are merely dissatisfied individuals,” stated Kunal Ghosh, the state General Secretary of Trinamool Congress, who accompanied Mamata Banerjee on her UK visit.

According to Debangshu Bhattacharya, a youth leader in the Trinamool Congress and head of the party’s Information Technology cell in West Bengal, those who protested during the Chief Minister’s speech belong to an “anti-Indian, anti-Bengal, and anti-humanity” organization.

“I commend the Chief Minister for the calm and composed way she handled the entire situation. Had I been in her shoes, I might not have maintained my cool. The strong response she gave to them was a slap on the faces of their West Bengal leaders who orchestrated this disruption,” Bhattacharya remarked.

The BJP’s West Bengal President and Union Minister of State, Dr. Sukanta Majumdar, asserted that Mamata Banerjee could not escape the protests in London, as Bengalis there confronted her directly on various issues, including the handling of the R.G. Kar rape and murder case, the dire state of industries in West Bengal, and attacks on Hindus in the state.

“Mamata Banerjee, the so-called champion of democracy, is now facing the ire of Bengalis even in Britain! ‘You killed Abhaya! Why are you silent about Hindus? You drove Tata away!’—These are the harsh realities she faced. The truth is evident. Bengalis, whether in Bengal or abroad, have seen through her hypocrisy,” claimed Majumdar.

Dr. Indranil Khan, President of the BJP’s youth wing in West Bengal, the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, remarked that since it was foreign territory, she couldn't silence the protesters with her police.

“The Bengalis in England justifiably protested against issues like post-poll violence, the R.G. Kar tragedy, and appeasement politics,” Khan stated.

He further criticized the Chief Minister for tarnishing India’s image during her engagement with the program's coordinator where she delivered her keynote address.

“This is the first time I've witnessed someone representing India at an international platform becoming irritated upon hearing accolades about India’s achievements,” Khan added.

In alignment with a statement released by the England unit of the SFI that the protests were incited by persistent “untrue propaganda” from the Chief Minister during her speech, the youth leader of CPI(M), Satarup Ghosh, noted that it was a miscalculation on the Chief Minister’s part to think she could evade accountability after making false claims on foreign soil.