Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee launched a sharp attack on the BJP after her nephew and TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee was allegedly assaulted during his visit to Sonarpur in South 24 Parganas on Saturday.
Abhishek had gone to meet families affected by post poll violence when a group of protesters surrounded him. Stones, shoes and eggs were allegedly hurled at him. Reports said his shirt was torn and his spectacles were damaged in the chaos. Security personnel later placed a helmet on his head and escorted him out of the tense crowd.
Reacting strongly, Mamata Banerjee accused the BJP of encouraging political violence. In a post on X, she said the ruling side had turned into attackers and that the BJP should be ashamed. The TMC also described the incident as politically motivated and alleged that Abhishek was targeted for standing beside violence affected families.
Abhishek Banerjee also blamed the BJP and claimed that the attackers wanted to kill him. He said the incident was recorded on camera and announced that he would approach the court. He also questioned why adequate police security was not arranged despite prior information about his visit.
The BJP has rejected the charge and denied any role in the incident. Party leaders said the protest reflected local anger against the TMC and accused the ruling party of trying to politicise the episode.
The attack has triggered strong political reactions beyond Bengal. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge condemned the incident and said political differences cannot justify violence.
The Sonarpur incident has once again pushed Bengal’s post poll violence debate into national focus. With TMC and BJP trading allegations, the police probe and video footage are now expected to play a key role in identifying those involved.