NEW DELHI: Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs Kalyan Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee on Sunday accused the BJP of being behind an alleged attack on former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s vehicle, after stones and other objects were reportedly hurled at her car in North 24 Parganas.Mamata Banerjee was travelling to meet the family of a TMC worker who allegedly died in police custody when the incident took place. TMC MPs Kalyan Banerjee and Dola Sen were accompanying her.Kalyan Banerjee described the incident as an “attempt to murder” and alleged that the attack was targeted at Mamata Banerjee. He also accused the police of remaining silent spectators while the incident took place.“The entire car, there was not a single second when stones were not thrown. Stones were thrown every moment, targeting Mamata Banerjee to assault her,” Kalyan Banerjee said, as cited by news agency ANI.He alleged that hundreds of BJP workers were present at the spot and claimed that the incident took place in the presence of police personnel.“Hundreds and hundreds of BJP workers were there, and police were remaining silent spectators, absolutely silent spectators,” he said.Kalyan Banerjee also alleged that there was a direction from West Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari behind the incident.“Of course there was a direction given by the CM Suvendu Adhikari,” he said.
Abhishek Banerjee alleges ‘political violence’
TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee also accused the BJP of unleashing political violence in West Bengal and alleged that Mamata Banerjee was “brutally attacked” while travelling to meet the family of the deceased party worker.In a post on social media, Abhishek Banerjee alleged that the incident reflected a wider law-and-order failure in the state.“And now, a former Chief Minister of the state, who was on her way to meet the grieving family, is brutally attacked by goons planted by BJP,” he said, as reported by ANI.He questioned the police response and said the incident represented a “failure of governance”.“This is not merely a failure of the state police. This is a failure of governance,” Abhishek Banerjee said.He also alleged that the police had failed to protect TMC workers and the grieving family, and questioned whether political violence had become a tool of governance in the state.
Dola Sen questions law and order
Rajya Sabha MP Dola Sen said Mamata Banerjee had gone to meet the family of the TMC worker who allegedly died in police custody and questioned whether she should have been prevented from making the visit.“Our worker died in police custody, an incident akin to a lockup death. His wife is a councillor. You tell me, as a matter of simple, natural justice, should our leader, Mamata Banerjee, not go to meet that family?” Sen said.She alleged that stones and half-bricks were thrown at Mamata Banerjee’s vehicle and claimed that BJP workers and police personnel were present at the spot.“They attacked her in a targeted manner… BJP goons and police stood in front, throwing half-bricks and stones, cracking the glass of Didi’s car,” she alleged.Sen also said Mamata Banerjee’s visit was not a political programme but an attempt to meet the family of the deceased worker.
Mamata alleges attack could have caused serious injuries
Mamata Banerjee herself alleged that large stones were hurled at her car in front of police personnel and said the attack could have resulted in serious injuries or death.“Large stones were hurled at my car by anti-social elements, right in front of the police. The attack on the vehicle was so severe that if the windows had been open, my head would have been split open. We could have all been killed,” she said.She also alleged that the police were providing protection to the BJP and said she had never witnessed such an incident before.“This happened right in front of the police. I have never seen anything like this. What is going on?” she said.“Chor bhagao” slogans were also heard from the crowd, according to ANI.
BJP denies involvement, condemns incident
West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya denied any BJP involvement in the alleged attack and condemned the throwing of stones or other objects at Mamata Banerjee’s vehicle.
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“Let me be clear: the BJP has absolutely no connection to the incidents where mud, stones, or slippers were thrown at Mamata Banerjee’s vehicle,” Bhattacharya said, according to ANI.He said the BJP did not endorse such behaviour and called for police action against those responsible.“It is between the public and TMC,” he said, while maintaining that the BJP condemned the incident.State minister Agnimitra Paul also condemned the alleged attack and said neither she nor the BJP supported such actions.“Mamata Banerjee may have committed many wrongs or made many mistakes, but we can never support this kind of behaviour, especially against a woman, and an elderly woman. We do not endorse this. If anyone is carrying out such acts while claiming to represent the BJP, they are in the wrong,” Paul said.
