Actors, filmmakers, painters, poets and others came together on Monday burying their political differences to condemn what they said was the humiliation of the Bengal chief minister and an attempt to sully an event to honour Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on his birth anniversary.

The immediate trigger of the protest meeting was the slogan-shouting that forced Mamata Banerjee to abandon her speech at Victoria Memorial, but the protesters also spoke against online abuse a number of artistes have been subjected to for expressing their opinion on faith and food.

Actor-director Koushik Sen speaks at the protest Sanat Kr Sinha

Among those present at the protest, opposite Metro cinema, was actor-director Koushik Sen and filmmakers Goutam Ghose and Sudeshna Roy. Sen, known for speaking his mind against the Trinamul government, spoke about the need to bury political differences to fight the BJP.

“I will tell everyone that our biggest enemy is the BJP. I tell my friends on the Left that we must unite. I have had difficulties in staging plays during both Left and Trinamul regimes. But I will talk about that later. Right now my primary objective is to stop the BJP…. This is the first time we are coming face to face with fascism. They keep hammering on some pet points like the nation is under attack, your religion is under attack and thus divert attention from real issues like unemployment or farmers’ demands,” Sen said.

Filmmaker Goutam Ghose speaks at the gathering Sanat Kr Sinha

Among the speakers was actor Debleena Dutt, who has faced an onslaught of abuse from the BJP’s troll machinery. Even her mother was not spared, she said.

“I have been threatened with rape, death and various kinds of sexual abuse. I have been told that I will be beheaded and my head will be placed on a pavement,” said Dutt.

“They are abusing my mother. How can I sit silently? If they can do this when they are not in power, imagine what will happen if they come to power.”

Actor and Trinamul MP Nusrat Jahan, too, said she was frequently threatened with gang-rape. “Try raping me if you can,” she dared the hate mongers. “We will broom you out of Bengal.”

Trinamul MP Nusrat Jahan speaks at the protest Sanat Kr Sinha

Speaking at an event in Hooghly’s Pursura, the chief minister said Dutt and actor Sayoni Ghosh had told her about what they were being subjected to. “I will never bow my head before the BJP. I would much rather behead myself before that,” said Mamata.

“Such audacity…. Debleena and Sayoni told me that the BJP had told them that they would be raped if they ventured out of Bengal. What audacity! I dare them to even try. I will then show them what Mamata Banerjee is. What Bengal is.”

At Esplanade, speakers condemned Mamata’s humiliation at Victoria Memorial on January 23 in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his silence on the matter.

Some members of the audience at an event hosted by the Union culture ministry to celebrate the 125th birth anniversary of Netaji had shouted “Jai Shri Ram” after Mamata was invited to speak.

Mamata went up to the lectern and said in Hindi: “I think there should be some dignity to a government programme. This is a government programme, not that of a political party. This is a programme of all parties and of the people.” She then refused to deliver her speech and returned to her seat.

Poet Joy Goswami had said on Saturday: “The Prime Minister, who spoke after the chief minister, did not utter a word about Mamata’s humiliation.”