KOLKATA: Abhishek Banerjee, national general secretary of the Trinamool Congress and party MP from Diamond Harbour in South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, was assaulted and abused on Saturday when he paid his first visit to the family of a deceased party worker in the area after the party suffered a crushing defeat to the BJP in the recently held Assembly elections.
Angry local residents allegedly linked to the BJP hurled stones, shoes and eggs at Banerjee, nephew of former chief minister Mamata Banerjee, when he visited the residence of Trinamool Congress worker Sanju Karmakar in Sonarpur on Saturday afternoon. Karmakar was allegedly murdered during post-poll violence. Banerjee had travelled to Sonarpur to meet families affected by the violence.
The incident occurred when Banerjee got out of his car and headed towards Karmakar’s house on a motorcycle. He was seated between a Trinamool Congress worker who was driving and another person riding pillion. Anticipating trouble, Banerjee was seen wearing a helmet for protection.
However, he faced the anger of protesters who allegedly attacked him physically, tearing his shirt and damaging his spectacles. Demonstrators also shouted slogans calling him a “thief”.
Women carrying eggs and black flags had gathered along the route before Banerjee arrived. Protesters threw eggs at him as he got out of his vehicle and proceeded towards the house.
Abhishek was taken to Apollo Gleneagles Hospital along the EM Bypass for treatment following the incident. No major injuries were reported so far.
He was later shifted to Belle Vue Clinic in the Alipore area. Senior Trinamool Congress leaders, including Mamata Banerjee, Derek O'Brien and Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay, rushed to the hospital where Abhishek underwent several medical examinations.
"We are shifting Abhishek to another hospital because he is not getting proper treatment here (Apollo)," Mamata told reporters.
In a social media post later in the night, Mamata renewed her attack on the BJP, saying, "RULERS BECAME KILLERS-shame on you BJP."
The Trinamool Congress leadership held the BJP responsible for the attack on Abhishek, accusing the saffron party of provoking those involved in the incident.
Rejecting the allegations, BJP's West Bengal president Samik Bhattacharya said, "This incident was a result of protest by angry masses against misdeeds of the Trinamool Congress and no BJP worker is involved with it. We are restraint and that is why, Trinamool Congress, which used to unleash terror on our party workers and supporters during its regime in the state, is safe and protected."
Despite the attacks, Banerjee reached the deceased worker’s residence and met the family members.
“They want to kill me and let them do so, but I won’t leave the spot. I am trying to draw the attention of the Governor and the High Court and seek their intervention in the attack on me. No security arrangements were made by the police administration. No police personnel were deployed, though I had informed the administration of my programme well in advance,” he said.
Later, Banerjee was escorted out of the area wearing a police helmet, with his shirt visibly torn.
Following the BJP’s victory in the state and the announcement of results for the 294 Assembly seats on May 4, the VVIP security cover earlier provided to Banerjee by the Trinamool Congress government was withdrawn overnight.