TMC to hit streets on May 21 to protest against BJP’s bulldozer action; Mamata alleges ‘minorities being targeted’
The Statesman | 21 May 2026
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has announced a major protest across Kolkata and adjoining areas on May 21, intensifying its political confrontation with the newly-formed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in West Bengal. The demonstrations are being organised against an emerging “bulldozer culture” in the state, with allegations that hawkers and minority communities are being selectively targeted through eviction and demolition drives.
The protest call comes days after the BJP swept to power in West Bengal, securing 207 Assembly seats and ending the Trinamool Congress’s 15-year rule. The TMC, reduced to 80 seats, has begun positioning itself as the principal opposition force, accusing the BJP government of using intimidation and force immediately after assuming office.
According to party leaders, demonstrations will be organised at several key locations, including Howrah Station, Sealdah Station and the Ballygunge area, where TMC workers and supporters are expected to gather in large numbers.
Addressing a meeting of party MLAs at Kalighat, former West Bengal CM and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee launched a sharp attack on the BJP government, alleging that vulnerable communities were being unfairly targeted under the new administration.
“Minority communities are being targeted here. Hawkers’ stalls are bulldozed. This government is tampering with our constitutional ideas and values. BJP will be removed from power in Delhi in the coming days,” Mamata Banerjee said during the meeting.
TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee also sought to project defiance in the face of the party’s electoral setback, asserting that the political battle against the BJP would continue both inside and outside the Assembly.
Speaking to party legislators, Abhishek Banerjee accused the BJP leadership of attempting to silence opposition voices through pressure and intimidation.
“Let them do whatever they want… raze down my home, send notice … I won’t bow down over these things. Come what may, my fight will continue against the BJP,” he said.
The statements from the party’s top leadership signal that the TMC is preparing for an aggressive opposition role, with the May 21 protests likely to serve as its first major show of strength after losing power in the state.