Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, May 30: The erstwhile one of the most powerful leader Abhishek Banerjee, the general secretary of the All India Trinamool Congress and nephew of the former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, was at the receiving end on Saturday as he was attacked by an irate mob and eggs and shoes hurled at him during his visit to the residence of a party worker allegedly killed during post poll violence at Sonarpur in South 24 Parganas district.
Stones and eggs were hurled at Banerjee, who is a Lok Sabha member from the Diamond Harbour constituency. Additionally, some people also tried to slap the Trinamool leader and kicked him. A video has also gone viral that showed the attack on Banerjee, who is considered number 2 in the now defeated TMC party.
As security personnel tried to shield him from the mob, the crowd also shouted “chor, chor,” (thief thief)’ slogans. Mr Banerjee had to put on a helmet but the crowd kept chasing him, raising slogans and throwing projectiles at him all the way till the residence of the local Trinamool supporter. The incident happened at ward number nine of Rajpur Sonarpur Municipality, located in the southern fringes of Kolkata.
A video of the incident has gone viral on social media. Banerjee, in a white shirt and a cricket helmet, walked amid a sea of shouting people as they pushed and grabbed him. Police personnel wearing protective gear rushed to the scene and escorted out the Trinamool leader.
Some Trinamool workers had alleged that they were targeted by political rivals after their loss in the election. A large number of BJP supporters mostly women had gathered outside the residence of the Trinamool Congress worker as the party general secretary remained holed up inside the house. The women, who were carrying eggs, said they would not leave till they settle their scores with him. The crowd expressed their displeasure on a number of issues particularly the Trinamool leader’s remark to play DJ (disc jockey) music after results of elections were announced, an oblique reference to settling score with political rivals.
“They want to kill me. Even if my dead body is taken out from the place, I will not leave the place without speaking to the parents of Sanju (the dead party worker),” Mr Banerjee told media persons. The impasse continued for over an hour and police and central forces reached the venue to control the situation. With a large crowd gathered outside the house where Abhishek Banerjee has taken shelter, it seemed impossible that he could leave without police intervention. “My head was somehow spared; fortunately, I was wearing a helmet. They have torn my clothes and broken my spectacles,” the Trinamool leader said.
“Look what they have done to me. This was pre-planned. There are no police in the area. They want to kill me. I will not leave this place till the local police send their force and offer protection to the victims’ families,” Banerjee said while meeting the family of the dead Trinamool worker.
Abhishek Banerjee had announced that he will visit the residence of party workers affected by post poll violence from Saturday. “It’s all BJP-sponsored. Look what they have done. This is their example of democracy. It hasn’t even been a month, and the police are nowhere to be seen,” he said.
The BJP has rubbished allegations by Trinamool leaders that the ruling party was behind the incident. “There is no BJP involvement in the egg-pelting, manhandling incident. People know how Trinamool has governed for the last 15 years in the state. The police and authorities should look over the families affected by post-poll violence. The Trinamool has no moral or political rights to go over to them and make comments…” Bengal BJP chief Samik Bhattacharya said.
West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya appealed for calm and said that violence should have no place in a democracy. “If the Trinamool had come to power, 500 of our workers would have been killed and I would not be standing here. Why did not he come to campaign for Falta (Assembly re-poll). There is anger amongst people but there is no space for violence in democracy,” the BJP leader asked.
While there have been several instances of local level Trinamool Congress workers being attacked by angry locals after May 4, when the BJP stormed to power in West Bengal, the attack on Abhishek Banerjee, who is the number two in the party is unprecedented.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge condemned the attack on Mr Banerjee saying “The Government of West Bengal and the Union Government must ensure security for all Opposition leaders and take immediate steps to prevent such attacks. Political differences can never justify any kind of violence.”
Trinamool leader Derek O’Brien condemned the attack. “A key leader of the second-largest Opposition party went to visit the family of a person murdered by the BJP in post-poll violence. Abhishek Banerjee was lynched and attacked by a few BJP supporters. Life at risk. Where are the police? Why was security withdrawn on the day of counting? Let the Home Minister answer,” Derek O’Brien said.
This was not the first instance of a Trinamool leader being assaulted by crowds following their election loss. Two days ago, Trinamool leader and four-time MP from Dum Dum constituency in North 24 Parganas district, Saugata Roy, was heckled by people in his own constituency.
The BJP came to power for the first time in Bengal with a single majority after the assembly elections. It won 208 seats and the Trinamool 80 seats. Mamata Banerjee’s party has been fighting unrest and rebellion as one after another leader started criticising their own outfit in public. They alleged the people who gave the election verdict were fed up with institutional corruption and extortion charges.
The attack on Banerjee happened on a day when he was issued a notice by the West Bengal CID to appear before it in connection with the alleged use of forged signatures of party legislators in a communication submitted to the Assembly Secretariat endorsing Shobhandeb Chattopadhyay as the Leader of the Opposition.
The notice was served personally to him at his Kalighat Road residence.
Banerjee said he would consult his lawyers and make an appropriate response. “Even if you slit my throat, you will have to take seven births to cower me down,” he told reporters.
