Mamata Banerjee Handles Protest at Oxford University with Poise
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was recently interrupted by a group of protesting students during her speech at Kellogg College, Oxford University. The protesters, members of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI-UK), raised issues surrounding post-poll violence in West Bengal and the controversial RG Kar College and hospital rape case, attempting to disrupt the CM’s address.
Despite the interruptions, Mamata Banerjee remained composed, addressing the protesters directly without losing her cool. The protest initially stunned the audience, but Banerjee’s calm and firm responses quickly gained applause from those present.
During the heated exchange, Banerjee calmly told the protesters, “Tell your party to increase its strength in our state so that they can fight with us.” She also reminded the protesters that the RG Kar rape case was under investigation by the central government, and thus not within her jurisdiction anymore.
In response to the protesters’ continued disruptions, Banerjee advised them not to use the platform for political purposes, stating, “This is not a platform for politics. Go to my state and do politics with me.”
The protesters continued to raise issues related to Jadavpur University, which prompted Banerjee to address them as “brother,” showing sympathy but urging them to focus on constructive discourse rather than politics. As the situation escalated, the audience joined Banerjee in supporting her calm yet assertive stance, and the protesters were eventually escorted out of the venue.
Throughout the disruption, Banerjee also spoke about her past struggles, holding up an old photograph from the 1990s showing a head injury she sustained during an attack, emphasizing the challenges she faced as an opposition leader in the past.
The Chief Minister’s speech, which was originally focused on social development initiatives in West Bengal, including schemes like ‘Swasthya Saathi’ and ‘Kanyashree,’ shifted gears as she deftly handled the protests. She concluded by stating, “Didi walks like a Royal Bengal Tiger. If you can catch me, catch me!”
The organisers of the event later expressed their regret over the disruptions, but Banerjee maintained her trademark confidence, saying, “You have encouraged me to come back here again and again. Didi doesn’t care about anyone.”
In the aftermath, the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) lauded Banerjee’s resilience, calling her a “Royal Bengal Tiger” in their social media posts.
SFI-UK, the group responsible for the protest, issued a statement taking responsibility for their actions, accusing Banerjee of corruption and suppressing democratic rights in West Bengal. Despite the drama, Banerjee’s ability to remain unflustered in the face of opposition only added to her reputation as a formidable political leader.
