Monday was the first time Mamata Banerjee was gheraoed during her tenure as chief minister. As she lost her temper, the protests only got fiercer.

READ ALSO:

Bengal nun prays for forgiveness of her rapists

CCTV images of the culprits.

READ ALSO:

Attacks on minorities have increased after BJP came to power, says Archbishop

READ ALSO:

BJP condemns gang rape of nun in West Bengal

RANAGHAT: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee ran into a wall of protest on NH34 on her way back to Kolkata after meeting the gang-raped nun in Nadia on Monday. Barricaded for the first time in her tenure as CM, Mamata lost her cool and threw a “challenge to the CPM and BJP men in the crowd” — only to be met with calls for her resignation.While the battle of nerves between the CM and commoners was on, groups of sisters — led by the nuns from Rome — took turns to pray with the rape survivor to seek strength for her and forgiveness for the rapists. Anger and outrage over the unspeakable crime is growing all the time.It was students of Ranaghat and their parents who held up Mamata’s convoy — and the state police chief — for nearly an hour, demanding to know why the nun’s rapists had not been arrested yet. Mamata was taken aback and reacted with aggression, the same way she did when challenged by women in Kamduni. A class XI student, who refused to be named, fearing “retaliation”, said: “The CM pushed us after she got out of her car. When I asked her why those who hurt our sister had not been arrested yet, she said I will give you a tight slap.”The CM fell back on the conspiracy theory and accused CPM and BJP of provoking the protesters. “You may not know this but some CPM and BJP men are in this agitation. I challenge them to come and meet me. I am waiting here. I am a product of movement. I am here. Let me take a test of their courage,” the CM said over a megaphone. Mamata announced she would no budge until the protesters dispersed on their own.It didn’t work. The protest only got fiercer, and police looked utterly helpless. DGP G M P Reddy placed himself in front of the CM’s vehicle even as demands for her resignation rent the air. Protesters held placards that said: ‘Change the mindset towards Christians’, ‘Hok Kolorob, Uthuk Tufan (Let there be a deluge of protests)’, ‘Ghoom noy, ghoom bhanganor oshudh chai’ (Not sleep, we need medicine to rouse them into action)”. Mamata responded with counter-slogans, shouting into the megaphone: “Dhikkar, BJP, dhikkar.”Senior police officers then devised a ploy to break the stalemate. They led the agitating students to a nearby field, saying the CM wanted to talk to them. The students believed the cops and walked off the highway. Police teams sprung into action and got Mamata’s convoy through the gap and on its way to Kolkata. When the students realized what had happened, they were livid and ran after the CM’s convoy. Police lathicharged some of them. The blockade then shifted to the railway tracks where it continued till around 9.30pm.“The government had assured us that the culprits would be arrested within 48 hours. Following that assurance we had lifted the rail blockade on Saturday. Today, we feel cheated. She lied to us,” said a furious resident, S Biswas. Students demanded to know why Mamata did not speak to them. “Officials said the CM would meet us at Chetanar Math. That’s where we have been waiting since afternoon. Was she afraid to face us?” asked D Basak, an alumnus of the convent school where the elderly nun was assaulted.A silent candle-light march brought Ranaghat to a standstill. “Should we be blamed if our anxiety turns into anger? What action has been taken after such a heinous crime on a pious woman?” asked homemaker Bina Mondal. There were even more disappointed when Mamata said that one suspect has been arrested while CID has not made any such claim.Mamata had reached Ranaghat around 17.55 pm and went straight to the convent. After a few minutes, she started walking towards Ranaghat subdivisional hospital, more than 1km away. A large crowd had gathered by then. Senior police officers, including the DGP, walked behind her. Cabinet colleague Subrata Mukherjee, however, went in a car.The CM was at the hospital for about half an hour. She met the sister and spoke with doctors. Bishop of Krishnanagar Father Joseph Gomes said, “The chief minister assured the sisters of all support.” Talking to reporters, Mamata said: “The sister is all right now. The main gang is yet to be arrested. We have alerted the border areas and other states. We will get them wherever they are hiding. They will be punished. I am for hanging.”BJP was quick to react to Mamata’s charges. BJP national secretary Sidharth Nath Singh said, “It is extremely unfortunate that the CM is blaming BJP instead of catching the culprits. She cannot escape her government’s misrule by blaming BJP.”