Trinamul Congress, anxious about the untoward possibilities in the allegedly saffron-backed March to Nabanna on Tuesday, on Monday called it an “illegal” attempt to “incite extensive unrest”.

Trinamul accused the saffron ecosystem of trying to push for deaths in police firing during the event and tore into it for its alleged vulture esque politics.

Bengal’s ruling party released two videos that purportedly show two persons pitching for violence to ensure the rally’s success. Trinamool said the videos were acquired through a “sting” operation and alleged both the far-right and the Left were together planning a mega conspiracy to ensure bloodshed and death in the wake of the RG
Kar tragedy.

“Chhatra Samaj has a few men from the BJP and the RSS. No matter what they say, a section of the CPM is supporting it in spirit. Not everyone, but a section of the Maidan dharna (for dearness allowance parity).... has also lent support. A dangerous plot,” Trinamul leader Kunal Ghosh said in a news meet.

The CPM and the Congress have already distanced themselves from the march, and have been actively working internally to ensure zero participation from their ranks in Tuesday’s rally.

“Rest assured that each one of us — including chief minister Mamata Banerjee and Trinamool national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee — wants capital punishment for the culprits. But the probe now lies with the CBI in the CGO Complex. The case is in the Supreme Court. Then who are the people saying ‘March to Nabanna’?” asked Ghosh, repeatedly asserting that Trinamul was fully behind every call for “justice for RG Kar”, but unwilling to tolerate any demand for Mamata’s resignation.

Trinamul accused those behind the programme of not demanding justice but
engaging in politics instead, and said the political identity of the organisers was
no secret.

“People must think twice when the demand for justice for the rape and murder of the doctor was deviated towards occupying Nabanna,” said Ghosh, deemed a mouthpiece of Mamata’s nephew and heir-apparent Abhishek. The party’s state vice-president Jay Prakash Majumdar and its women’s wing chief (also Bengal finance minister) Chandrima Bhattacharya were also present at the news conference.

Showing the video clips, the veracity of which this newspaper wasn’t independently able to verify, Trinamul said they would be handed over to the authorities for legal action.

“The March to Nabanna is an illegal attempt to incite extensive unrest,” said Ghosh.

Posting the videos on X, Trinamool wrote: “Dead bodies must fall” for “political momentum.” – SHOCKING videos have emerged indicating a sinister conspiracy behind the Nabanna Abhiyan tomorrow!”

“BJP has resorted to the politics of DEAD BODIES under the camouflage of JUSTICE! Instead of asking CBI to expedite the probe, this is what the BJP is busy doing. Proof,” it added.

Ghosh said Trinamul wanted to show the people that a conspiracy was underway, and it involved people from the BJP, the RSS, the ABVP and some from CPM-backed outfits.

“They want “bodies”, because they engage in vulture-esque politics…. They are clearly discussing that they “need dead bodies” or else they would be unable to do politics. We will not allow this conspiracy to succeed,” he said.

“We suspect that there might be attempts to bring in people in groups from outside the state to engage in sabotage in Bengal. They may even wear fake police uniforms and fire bullets, or engage in acts to defame the state administration or police,” said Ghosh, adding that key examinations are scheduled for Tuesday and no self-proclaimed society of students should want to cause trouble for examinees.

In response, the BJP said the Trinamul dispensation was misusing the police to spread panic before the event and Mamata was allegedly trying to suppress an earnest people’s movement.

The BJP’s Rajya Sabha member and chief spokesperson for Bengal, Samik Bhattacharya, once again denied any involvement of his party, asserting that if anybody from the BJP were seen attending, it would be in their individual capacity.

BJP state unit chief Sukanta Majumdar, in a counter-news conference, said fear was being driven into the minds of “students” who sought to carry out a “peaceful” protest. He claimed Mamata and Abhishek were scared.

“We have not started the movement, but we support it fully, as it demands justice and Mamata Banerjee’s resignation,” Majumdar said.