Kolkata: Union Minister and West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar on Sunday reacted sharply to the alleged attack on Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee in Hooghly’s Chanditala, while simultaneously condemning political violence and taking a swipe at the senior TMC leader over his past remarks.
Kalyan Banerjee was allegedly attacked near Chanditala Police Station when he arrived to submit a deputation regarding post poll violence and the arrest of Trinamool workers in the area. The TMC claimed that BJP supporters were behind the incident and described it as a targeted political attack. Banerjee alleged that he suffered injuries after being hit by objects thrown at him during the protest.
Reacting to the development, Sukanta Majumdar said violence has no place in a democracy and called for a proper investigation into the incident. He stated that such incidents were not desirable and should be examined to determine the actual facts. At the same time, the BJP leader questioned whether the episode was linked to internal rivalries, referring to recent claims made by the ruling party regarding attacks on its own leaders.
Majumdar also recalled a controversial exchange from last year when Kalyan Banerjee had allegedly threatened him during a political confrontation in Serampore. Referring to those remarks, the BJP leader said he continues to move freely and suggested that local public anger may have contributed to the hostility faced by the TMC MP in his own constituency. His comments quickly triggered political reactions and further intensified the ongoing war of words between the BJP and the Trinamool Congress.
According to reports, the confrontation began when slogans were raised against Kalyan Banerjee during the protest programme. TMC leaders alleged that BJP workers showed black flags and created disturbances before the situation turned violent. The BJP, however, denied the allegations and rejected claims of any organised attack.
The incident comes just a day after TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee alleged that he was attacked in Sonarpur while meeting families reportedly affected by post poll violence. The Trinamool Congress has accused BJP backed groups of orchestrating both incidents, while the BJP has maintained that public resentment against the opposition party is being wrongly portrayed as political violence.
Political tensions in West Bengal have remained high since the Assembly elections, with both parties repeatedly accusing each other of intimidation, violence and political vendetta. The latest confrontation in Chanditala is expected to further deepen the sharp rivalry between the BJP and the TMC as both sides continue to trade charges over law and order and political accountability in the state.