Mamata Banerjee slams bulldozer politics, defends poor amid eviction drives in West Bengal

Trinamool Congress chief and former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday launched a sharp attack against what she described as “bulldozer politics,” alleging that eviction and demolition drives in parts of Kolkata and Howrah were hurting poor families, hawkers, daily wage workers and small traders while undermining Bengal’s cultural and humanitarian values.

‎In a strongly worded message posted on her WhatsApp channel, Mamata Banerjee criticised recent demolition and eviction actions around Howrah Station as well as unrest in Tiljala and Park Circus, accusing authorities of prioritising “optics” over the welfare and dignity of ordinary citizens.

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‎“From homes to hawker stalls, the poor are paying the price of political arrogance,” Mamata Banerjee said.
‎“Bengal does not believe in bulldozer politics. The land of Tagore and Netaji cannot be ruled through fear, force, and demolition drives against ordinary citizens,” she added.

‎The Trinamool Congress chief said the developments reflected a deeper attack on vulnerable sections of society struggling to sustain their livelihoods.
‎“What we are witnessing today is an attack on the dignity of the people of Bengal- daily wage workers, street vendors, small shopkeepers, and struggling families who have built their lives brick by brick,” Mamata Banerjee wrote.

‎Referring specifically to recent eviction drive in and around Howrah and parts of Kolkata, she said, “The massive eviction drive around Howrah Station, the unrest and anger erupting on the streets of Tiljala and Park Circus, and the growing desperation among those suddenly stripped of shelter and livelihood expose a government more obsessed with optics than humanity.”

Mamata Banerjee further alleged that governments using demolition as a first response had lost touch with the social and cultural ethos of Bengal.

‎“A government that demolishes first and listens later has forgotten the very spirit of Bengal,” she said.
‎“Real progress is measured by how a state treats its weakest citizens, not by how quickly it can erase them,” the former Chief Minister added.

‎Asserting what she termed coercive governance practices, Mamata Banerjee said that fear and demolitions could not become instruments of administration in West Bengal.

‎“Bulldozers cannot become the language of governance in a state built on culture, compassion, and resistance to oppression,” she said.

‎The remarks come amid political tensions surrounding eviction and anti-encroachment drives in parts of West Bengal, particularly in densely populated urban areas where hawkers, roadside vendors and low-income families are vulnerable to displacement.

Civic authorities have often argued that such drives are necessary for infrastructure expansion, traffic management and public safety, while critics contend that they disproportionately affect economically weaker sections without adequate rehabilitation measures.