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A controversy broke out on Wednesday over whether or not West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who was gheraoed by Left activists on Tuesday, ignored an advice to enter the Planning Commission building through the VIP gate.
The Delhi police conveyed to the Union home ministry that Banerjee ignored the advice to enter the Commission premises in the heart of the capital through the VIP gate and instead came though a main gate where she was gheraoed and her Finance Minister Amit Mitra heckled by the activists of the Communist Party of India-Marxist and Student’s Federation of India.
The chief minister while criticising the Delhi police for not being able to prevent the incident, however, dismissed reports she was asked by the police to enter through another gate and avoid the one where an angry demonstration was being held.
When asked about these reports, the fiery Trinamool Congress supremo said, "Not at all. Do you think I am a beggar? I never bow down my head. I consider myself as an LIP (Less Important Person) than a VIP."
In its report, the Delhi police said that on learning about the protests, the Planning Commission officials requested the West Bengal government officials to advice Banerjee to enter the building only through the VIP gate which has been secured as the protesters had gathered in front of the main gate. However, ignoring the advice, the chief minister got down from the car and walked down towards the gate to enter the building, the report said.
Upon seeing the chief minister, the CISF personnel, who are tasked with protecting government buildings, unlocked the main gate and allowed her entry inside. The gate was quickly locked again, the report said. However, Mitra, who was following Banerjee, was gheraoed by the protesters who manhandled him and tore his shirt before he could reach the gate.
The security men immediately threw a ring around Mitra, escorted him inside the building after again unlocking the gate, the report said.