Mala Roy heckled at Chhath Puja in Kolkata's Tollygunge amid 'Chor Chor' chants
Synopsis
Lok Sabha MP Mala Roy was surrounded by protesters chanting 'Chor Chor' at a Chhath Puja venue in Kolkata's Tollygunge on 15 November — the confrontation coming from self-identified BJP workers who accused her of past political oppression during her Trinamool Congress years, highlighting how West Bengal's post-election fault lines are playing out even at religious festivals.
Key Takeaways
Mala Roy , NCPI Lok Sabha MP from Kolkata Dakshin , was heckled with 'Chor Chor' slogans at a Chhath Puja venue in Tollygunge, Kolkata on 15 November 2026 .
Protesters identified themselves as old BJP workers who alleged Roy had used political influence to oppress them during her years with the Trinamool Congress .
Roy refused to leave the venue and said she visits Field Number 17, Ward 88 of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation every year to inspect the puja.
Roy denied all allegations and confirmed no complaint has been lodged against her at any police station.
Roy earlier this year left the Trinamool Congress and joined the NCPI , an NDA ally, after the West Bengal Assembly elections .
Lok Sabha MP and Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) leader Mala Roy was surrounded by protesters during her visit to a Chhath Puja event in the Tollygunge area of Kolkata on Sunday, 15 November 2026. A group of demonstrators chanted 'Chor Chor' (thief) slogans at the parliamentarian, in what quickly turned into a charged confrontation at the festival site.
What Happened at the Chhath Puja Venue
The event was organised at Field Number 17 of Ward 88 of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), where an artificial water body had been created for the festivities. According to some protesters, Chhath Puja preparations had been proceeding peacefully before Roy's arrival, after which the demonstrations intensified. Roy, however, maintained that she visits the government field every year to inspect the puja arrangements, as she was a long-serving Councillor of KMC Ward 88.
The MP refused to leave the event despite the protests. 'Everyone can come to the government field. I have come to inspect the management of the puja,' she said, dismissing calls to exit the venue.
Who Are the Protesters and What Do They Allege
The protesters identified themselves as old Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers from the area. They alleged that Roy had used political influence to oppress them during her time in the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), and said Sunday's protest was a direct expression of that grievance.
Some demonstrators also alleged that Roy's arrival had disrupted the puja preparations, a claim she flatly denied. Roy confirmed that no complaint has been filed against her at any police station, and said no political party has lodged a formal grievance either.
Mala Roy's Response
Addressing reporters at the site, Roy said: 'I don't know why the protests are being held. The administration or the KMC also don't know anything. But I have never done politics of injustice and oppression. The people of the area know that. This field was being captured. We saved it from this. Now there is an attempt to disturb the area.'
She also referenced the state's political chief, stating: 'Who is a thief and who is a saint, the Chief Minister (Suvendu Adhikari) keeps all the information. There has never been such unrest in this area before. This has started since May 4, when Assembly election results were declared.' Roy did not name any specific political party as the instigator of Sunday's protests.
Background: Roy's Party Switch After Assembly Polls
Earlier this year, Mala Roy — the sitting Kolkata Dakshin MP — left the Trinamool Congress and joined the NCPI following the West Bengal Assembly elections. The NCPI is an ally of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). This context colours Sunday's confrontation: the protesters who identified themselves as BJP workers appear to have directed frustration at Roy rooted in her previous tenure as a TMC councillor and MP, rather than her current political alignment.
The incident underscores the volatile political atmosphere in West Bengal in the months since the assembly polls, with long-standing local grievances surfacing in unexpected settings.
Point of View
But it has not insulated her from accountability for her years as a TMC councillor in the same ward. What Sunday's incident really signals is that the settlement of scores from the assembly elections is still very much underway, and that religious spaces are no longer insulated from that turbulence.
NationPress
15 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Mala Roy protested against at the Chhath Puja event?
Protesters, who identified themselves as old BJP workers, alleged that Mala Roy used political influence to oppress them during her years as a Trinamool Congress leader and councillor. They chanted 'Chor Chor' slogans when she arrived at the Chhath Puja venue in Tollygunge, Kolkata, on 15 November 2026.
What is the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI)?
The NCPI is a political party allied with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Mala Roy joined the NCPI from the Trinamool Congress earlier this year, following the West Bengal Assembly elections.
What did Mala Roy say in response to the protests?
Roy denied all allegations, saying she visits the government field in Ward 88 every year to inspect Chhath Puja arrangements and that the field was being illegally captured before she intervened. She also confirmed that no complaint has been filed against her at any police station.
Who organised the Chhath Puja event where the incident occurred?
The Chhath Puja was organised at Field Number 17 of Ward 88 of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, where an artificial water body had been created. Roy, as a former long-serving KMC councillor of the ward, said she visits the site annually.
How does the incident connect to West Bengal's post-election political situation?
Roy linked the unrest to the period following the West Bengal Assembly election results of 4 May, suggesting political tensions have escalated since then. The protesters' claim of being old BJP workers targeting a now-NDA allied MP over her Trinamool-era conduct illustrates the complex local grievances reshaping alliances in the state.
