Trinamool Congress supremo and former Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee on Saturday appealed to all opposition parties in the state to unite against the BJP, accusing the saffron party of "unleashing a reign of terror," report Indian media.

Addressing a gathering outside her residence on Rabindranath Tagore's birth anniversary, Mamata said, "A reign of terror has been unleashed. Our moral and political battle against terror has begun. I would also urge all other anti-BJP political parties to unite. I would urge NGOs and other neutral platforms to join this movement as well. All national leaders of the opposition have contacted me."

Her call for opposition unity came on the day the BJP formed the government in the state.

Invoking Tagore's ideals, Mamata alleged that the administration had denied permission to observe the poet's birth anniversary at multiple locations in Kolkata, forcing the event to be held outside the party office. Calling the move "pure autocracy" and a "blatant attempt to silence us", she alleged that decorators and organisers were threatened against cooperating with the programme.

"Our moral and political battle against terror has begun," Mamata declared, accusing the BJP of creating an atmosphere of fear and intimidation across Bengal. 

She claimed that TMC workers, including women and elderly citizens, were being driven out of their homes, harassed by "drunk miscreants" and denied police protection. 

Referring to alleged attacks on party leaders and workers, she said even the family members of party MP Mahua Moitra and party national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee were facing threats.

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At least 34 people, including two babies were killed when a contraband fuel depot exploded into flames in southern Benin near the border with Nigeria on Saturday.

According to Beninese Interior Minister Alassane Seidou, “a serious fire occurred in the town of Seme Podji. Another 20 people were seriously wounded in the incident.”

"I can't really give you the cause of the fire, but there is a large gasoline warehouse here and cars, tricycles and motorcycles come from morning to evening,” he added.

Nigeria is a main oil and gas producer where fuel smuggling is very common along its borders, particularly when the government maintains a subsidy to keep fuel prices low.

The majority of the victims were burnt and they could not be not be identified.

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