Former TMC MP Mimi Chakraborty (PTI image)
NEW DELHI: Actress and former Trinamool Congress MP Mimi Chakraborty has lodged a police complaint on Monday alleging harassment during a live stage performance at a cultural programme in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district.The incident reportedly occurred late Sunday night during an event organised in the Nayagram area of Bongaon town. According to the complaint, one of the organisers allegedly climbed onto the stage mid-performance, stopped the programme abruptly and asked the actress to leave without prior communication.In her complaint to the Bongaon police station, submitted via email, Chakraborty named an organiser, Tanmay Shastri, accusing him of forcibly interrupting her performance and asking her to step down around midnight. She later said the episode left her feeling “deeply humiliated”.The actor also took to the social media platform X to share her account of the incident, linking it to broader concerns around the dignity and safety of women and artists. Referring to the timing of the incident on Republic Day, Chakraborty wrote that while the country speaks of freedom and equality, “the independence and dignity of women and artists are still too easily violated”. Explaining the sequence of events, she said she had been invited by the Naya Gopal Gunj Yubak Sango Club to perform at the event and was asked to leave the stage mid-performance, in full view of the audience. She claimed that derogatory remarks were made on the microphone, which she said not only humiliated her but also damaged her public image. “I left quietly to maintain decorum,” she said, adding that she has now approached legal authorities and believes in due process.“If I keep quiet today, this behaviour will be repeated tomorrow. Dignity on stage is non-negotiable,” Chakraborty said in her post.However, the organisers denied the allegations, saying the programme was stopped due to time restrictions. Shastri claimed the actress arrived nearly an hour late and that police permission for the event was valid only until midnight. He said that the decision to halt the programme was taken keeping in mind upcoming board examinations of students in the area.“Mimi Chakraborty was neither insulted nor harassed, and the allegations made by her are completely baseless,” Shastri said, alleging instead that her security personnel misbehaved with him. He further claimed that the actress’s bodyguards forcibly removed women members of the club who had come on stage to felicitate her.Stating that the organisers had no intention to disrespect the actor, Shastri added that if she felt insulted due to any miscommunication, the club regretted the incident.Police said that the complaint has been taken on record and further investigation into the matter is underway.
