Kolkata, May 26 (IANS): A convoy of Trinamool Congress's national General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee was attacked in Wst Bengal's West Midnapore district on Friday by Kurmi protesters who are demanding scheduled tribe status for the community.

His convoy was passing through the Salboni area in the tribal-dominated West Midnapore when protesters attacked it.

The rear glass of the vehicle of West Bengal minister Birbaha Hansda was totally smashed on being hit by bricks thrown at the convoy by the agitating Kurmi protesters. They also shouted "thief, thief" slogans while the convoy was passing through the area.

Hansda later told media persons that Kurmi protesters had allegedly even beaten up the Trinamool Congress workers who were part of the convoy. "I personally hail from a tribal background. This is not the way of protest. We have been parts of several movements before. This is simple hooliganism. I will see it through to the end," she said.

She also alleged that the opposition parties like the BJP and the CPI-M had been instigating the Kurmi protesters. "Trinamool Congress had never opposed the movement of the Kurmi community in demand for scheduled tribe status. Then why is the attack on our convoy. This cannot be the nature of any caste movement," Hansda said.

Incidentally, on Saturday, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is supposed to address a political rally at Salboni area.