Bengal: Midnight FIR against Abhishek sparks TMC charge of 'vendetta politics'
The political battle in West Bengal has intensified after an FIR was lodged against Abhishek Banerjee, all-India general-secretary of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and MP from Diamond Harbour, triggering allegations of “vendetta politics” from the party.
TMC leaders alleged that the case reflected a wider attempt by the new BJP government in Bengal to target opposition voices through criminal cases, cybercrime complaints and police action after the bitterly contested April Assembly elections.
The FIR was registered at the Bidhannagar North cyber crime police station following a complaint by Rajib Sarkar, allegedly a BJP worker, who accused Banerjee of making provocative speeches during the election campaign.
According to police sources, the FIR alleges that Banerjee made inflammatory remarks against then opposition leaders, including Union home minister Amit Shah, and delivered speeches capable of disturbing public order. The complaint also referred to comments regarding DJ music during campaigning.
Police registered the case under Sections 192, 196, 351(2) and 353(1)(c) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Sections 123(2) and 125 of the Representation of the People Act. Some of the offences are non-bailable.
Though the FIR was officially registered on 15 May at midnight, the complaint had reportedly been submitted on 5 May, a day after the election results were announced. The complainant alleged that speeches delivered by Banerjee between March and May at rallies in Maheshtala, Arambagh, Haringhata and Nandigram promoted hostility and political unrest.
TMC leaders questioned the timing of the FIR, noting that it came a day after Banerjee launched a fierce public attack on the BJP and accused the Centre of allowing post-poll violence and electoral manipulation in Bengal.
In a strongly worded post on X, Banerjee alleged that TMC counting agents had been forcibly removed from counting centres in more than 100 constituencies and claimed that Central agencies and officials had compromised the democratic process.
“We will challenge every illegality, manipulation and abuse of power through every constitutional and legal avenue available to us,” Banerjee wrote, while also expressing faith in the Supreme Court and democratic institutions.
He further alleged that Central forces remained “mute spectators” while attacks were carried out on TMC workers and offices after the results.
Several TMC leaders claimed Banerjee’s increasingly aggressive attacks on the BJP leadership had unsettled the ruling party in Bengal. They argued that his growing popularity among younger voters, organisational control within the TMC and direct criticism of the BJP had made him one of the strongest opposition voices in the state.
TMC supporters also questioned why opposition leaders alone were facing legal scrutiny when several BJP leaders, including Amit Shah, allegedly delivered highly polarising speeches during the campaign.
During rallies, BJP leaders accused the TMC government of “appeasement politics”, warned of “demographic change”, and claimed Bengal’s culture and security were under threat if the BJP did not come to power. Opposition parties accused BJP leaders of using communal and anti-Muslim rhetoric to polarise voters.
At one rally, Shah reportedly declared that the BJP would “free Bengal from fear and infiltration”, remarks TMC leaders described as coded communal messaging. Other BJP leaders allegedly called TMC workers “goons” and warned of “strict action” once the BJP assumed power.
TMC leaders argued that such remarks were equally capable of provoking unrest but did not invite similar police action. “The law appears to work differently depending on which party you belong to,” said a senior TMC functionary.
The FIR has also been linked by TMC leaders and supporters to what they described as a broader pattern of targeting opposition voices and dissenting activists in Bengal.
Bengal: Report on Rajarhat counting revives ‘vote manipulation’ chargeMany pointed to the recent arrest of language activist Garga Chatterjee, founder of Bangla Pokkho, who was arrested by Kolkata Police on 12 May over social media posts questioning the election process and alleged EVM manipulation. Police claimed he spread misinformation and made provocative statements, while civil liberties groups described the arrest as an attack on democratic dissent.
TMC supporters argued that a similar “playbook” was now being used against Banerjee and other opposition figures. They also cited the case involving TMC MLA Dilip Mondal, who reportedly faces similar allegations and is said to be avoiding arrest amid fears of politically motivated action.
The confrontation has also revived focus on the long-running political rivalry between chief minister Suvendu Adhikari and Abhishek Banerjee, widely regarded as one of the most significant internal conflicts that split the TMC before Adhikari joined the BJP in 2020.
Political observers and TMC leaders have repeatedly claimed that Adhikari’s growing bitterness towards Banerjee was a major factor behind his exit from the party.
Since joining the BJP, Adhikari has repeatedly targeted Banerjee at rallies and press conferences, accusing him of corruption and misuse of influence in cases linked to coal smuggling, recruitment scams and financial irregularities. TMC leaders alleged that Adhikari’s attacks had gone beyond normal political criticism and become deeply personal.
Party insiders claimed that after becoming chief minister, Adhikari intensified efforts to politically corner Banerjee and weaken the TMC leadership through aggressive investigations, FIRs and legal pressure.
“This is not just political rivalry anymore, this is personal revenge,” a senior TMC leader claimed, alleging that the BJP government under Adhikari was using state machinery to systematically target opposition voices, especially those close to former chief minister Mamata Banerjee.
Another party worker said, “Whenever someone speaks strongly against the BJP or exposes irregularities, cases suddenly appear. The intention is clear — create fear and suppress dissent.”