Supporters of the BJP and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Sunday clashed at Dum Dum railway station during the launch of a new air-conditioned local train service between Sealdah and Ranaghat, officials said.

Union Minister and former state BJP president Sukanta Majumdar, along with BJP MPs Shantanu Thakur and Jagannath Sarkar, was travelling on the train from Sealdah when the incident took place. As the train reached Dum Dum, a group of TMC-affiliated INTTUC supporters entered the station premises holding party flags and shouting “Go back” slogans at Majumdar, accusing him of being “anti-Bengali” and alleging that the BJP was behind attempts to harass Bengalis outside the state. BJP supporters present at the station protested against the slogans, leading to a scuffle between the two sides, the officials said. An INTTUC supporter alleged that BJP workers, led by local leader Tamegnya Ghosh, attacked them. Ghosh denied the charge. Speaking to reporters, Majumdar said, “If Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has the courage, let her remove all non-Bengali MPs and leaders from her party. TMC is so afraid of the SIR that it sent goons to disrupt a government programme at the station.” He also accused TMC workers of misbehaving with BJP women activists and criticised the state Government Railway Police (GRP) for “remaining mute spectators”. A TMC supporter claimed that several non-Bengali railway officers were executing the BJP’s agenda and working against the interests of Bengalis. Large contingents of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and GRP were deployed at the station to disperse both groups and restore order. No arrests have been reported so far, the officials added.