KOLKATA: Former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday found herself at the centre of a fresh political controversy after a video purportedly showing her pushing aside an on-duty woman police officer during a confrontation with Kolkata Police went viral on social media.
PTI could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.
The incident took place at Padmapukur, where police moved to disperse TMC supporters after the Calcutta High Court declined permission to hold a march proposed by Banerjee's faction of the Trinamool Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) over the alleged NEET paper leak.
The Banerjee faction of the TMCP had proposed to take out a rally from Padmapukur to Moulali through CIT Road.
Party leaders claimed Kolkata Police had initially granted permission but later withdrew it, citing Friday's violence during demonstrations organised by Left student bodies over the same issue.
According to the Trinamool camp, TMCP leader Priyanka Adhikari received an email from the police on Saturday informing her that permission had been cancelled in view of the previous day's unrest.
The faction immediately moved the Calcutta High Court, which held a special holiday hearing but declined to grant relief.
Following the court order, police began clearing supporters who had assembled at Padmapukur, leading to tense scenes and scuffles between party workers and security personnel.
Police detained senior Trinamool leaders Kunal Ghosh, Baishwanar Chatterjee and several other leaders and supporters, escorting them away in prison vans.
Soon after learning about the detentions, Banerjee reached Padmapukur along with senior party leader Derek O'Brien.
She was seen interacting with party workers and engaging in a heated exchange with police officers as they prevented the gathering from proceeding.
"They attacked me as well. This is not a democracy. We have come here to support the students' movement. Our MLA and several other leaders have been arrested. The wires to our sound system have been cut. I have come here to express solidarity. Our people did not create any obstruction. But the level of oppression by this government is beyond all limits," she told reporters.
It was during this confrontation that the purported video, which quickly spread across social media platforms, appeared to show Banerjee pushing a woman police officer.
After spending some time at the protest site, Banerjee left the area riding pillion on a scooter without a helmet and returned to her residence. She did not proceed to Lalbazar, contrary to initial reports.
The confrontation highlighted the escalating political battle over the alleged NEET paper leak, with Banerjee's camp attempting to project itself as standing with protesting students while accusing the administration of stifling democratic dissent.
Saturday's developments came a day after clashes during protests organised by Left student organisations over the same issue, prompting the police to cite law-and-order concerns in opposing another procession.