Kolkata: Trinamool Congress MP and national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee has accused the BJP of sponsoring the attack on him in Sonarpur, saying the incident was planned and that the attackers wanted to kill him.
Banerjee was visiting the family of TMC worker Sanju Karmakar in South 24 Parganas when the situation turned violent. According to reports, a crowd surrounded him, shouted slogans, and allegedly hurled stones, eggs and shoes. His shirt was torn and his spectacles were damaged in the scuffle.
Security personnel later placed a helmet on his head and escorted him through the crowd. Banerjee said his head was saved because he was wearing the helmet.
Speaking after the incident, Banerjee said the entire attack had been recorded on camera. “They wanted to kill me. We will inform the High Court and the Governor. I will definitely move court,” he said. He also alleged that police were not present despite prior intimation about his visit.
The TMC leader said he would not leave the area until adequate security was provided to the bereaved family. He said he had come to stand with the family and would not abandon them under pressure.
The BJP has rejected the allegation. West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya said the party had no role in the incident and added that such actions were not expected in a democracy.
Earlier in the day, the CID had reportedly issued a notice to Banerjee, asking him to appear before investigators at Bhavani Bhawan on June 1. Banerjee said he would consult his legal team and cooperate with the investigation.
The attack has once again pushed Bengal’s post poll violence debate into the spotlight. With TMC blaming the BJP and the opposition denying the charge, the political temperature in the state is likely to remain high.