Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee appeared before the Calcutta High Court on Thursday wearing a black lawyer's gown in connection with a case linked to allegations of post-poll violence following the Trinamool Congress's (TMC) defeat in the recent Assembly elections.
The matter was filed by Shirshanya Bandopadhyay, son of senior TMC leader and advocate Kalyan Banerjee, over alleged attacks on political workers and party offices after the BJP came to power in the state, ending the TMC's 15-year rule.
During the hearing, Banerjee urged the court to intervene and provide protection to residents allegedly affected by the violence.
"My regard to all the judges because this is my first time appearing in the High Court. As a lawyer I'm fighting this case," Banerjee told the bench during her submissions.
The former Chief Minister referred to visual material and alleged that children, women and minorities were among those targeted in the violence.
"Even children are not spared, women are not spared, minorities are not spared," she said, while submitting what she claimed was a list of ten people who had been killed.
New Drama started by Drama Queen
— Spitting Facts (@SoldierSaffron7) May 14, 2026
Mamata Banerjee is now at Calcutta High Court wearing advocate gear pic.twitter.com/2SZIkpMKhM
Banerjee further alleged that members of a Scheduled Caste family, including a 92-year-old widow, had been displaced from their home. She also claimed that houses and shops belonging to people across communities had been vandalised in several districts.
Our Hon’ble Chairperson Smt @MamataOfficial personally reached the Calcutta High Court today to argue in a matter concerning the widespread post-poll violence unleashed across Bengal by @BJP4Bengal.
— All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) May 14, 2026
Once again, she has shown what truly sets her apart -
She NEVER abandons the… pic.twitter.com/8OkszMxaYa
"Out of 10 dead, six are Hindus," she told the court, while alleging that police were refusing to register FIRs in certain cases.
Raising concerns over the law-and-order situation, Banerjee claimed that threats of sexual violence were also being reported.
"In some cases, 12-year-old girls are being threatened with rape," she alleged.
Describing the situation as worsening by the day, Banerjee said even public spaces such as fish markets were being attacked.
"We don't have any problem with who wants to eat what," she remarked while seeking immediate protection measures for residents.
"Please protect the people of Bengal. This is not a bulldozer state," she said during the hearing.
Questioning the role of law enforcement agencies, Banerjee asked, "Is the police sleeping?"
"Police should prevent crime. After something has happened, they will not investigate?" she added.
Earlier in the day, the TMC posted on social media that Banerjee's appearance in court reflected her commitment to the people of Bengal and her fight for "truth, justice and constitutional values".
The party also said she continued to stand against what it described as "politics of hatred" and praised her "compassion, courage and conviction".
The hearing comes at a politically tense time for the TMC following its historic defeat in the Assembly elections. Since the results were declared on May 4, multiple districts in West Bengal have witnessed incidents of clashes, vandalism, bomb attacks and retaliatory violence, with both the BJP and TMC accusing each other of instigating unrest.
In one of the most prominent incidents, Chandranath Rath, a close aide of Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, was shot dead by unidentified assailants on May 6, escalating political tensions in the state further.
