Vidyasagar's statue vandalism: Mamata Banerjee forms special panel to probe violence

West Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee formed a special committee to probe the vandalism of 19th century Bengali icon Iswarchandra Vidyasagar’s statue at a college during BJP president Amit Shah’s roadshow in Kolkata earlier this month. Banerjee said new Home Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay and a five-member committee will probe the violence.  

Kolkata witnessed wide-spread violence during the road show on May 15. During the violence, a bust of Vidyasagar was vandalised at the college named after the social reformer.

The Kolkata Police later submitted a report on the clash to the poll panel and also set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the vandalism at Vidyasagar College.

Alleging that Trinamool Congress "goons" had committed a "sin", Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared his government's commitment to the "vision" of Vidyasagar and promised his grand statue would be installed at the very place where it was vandalised.

He alleged that the Banerjee government was trying to destroy evidence to save them.

Addressing rallies in Mandir Bazaar and Diamond Harbour in West Bengal, Banerjee rejected Modi's offer for installing a new bust of Vidyasagar and said 'Bengali pride' was hurt by the incident.