Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
Kolkata, May 30: Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee on Saturday strongly condemned the alleged assault on party national general secretary and Lok Sabha MP Abhishek Banerjee during his visit to Sonarpur in South 24 Parganas district, holding the BJP and the newly formed state administration responsible for the incident.
In a sharply worded social media post, Mamata Banerjee accused the ruling establishment of fostering violence and intolerance. Sharing a party statement and a video purportedly showing the incident, she alleged that the political atmosphere in the state had deteriorated under the current dispensation.
According to the Trinamool Congress, Abhishek Banerjee had travelled to Sonarpur to meet the family of Sanju Karmakar, who was reportedly affected by post-poll violence. The party claimed that despite being subjected to heckling and physical aggression by alleged BJP supporters, the MP continued with his visit and met the bereaved family.
The incident has triggered strong reactions from opposition leaders across the country.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge condemned the attack and described it as deeply disturbing. In a statement, Kharge said that any failure to provide adequate security to a prominent opposition leader raises serious concerns and reflects poorly on democratic norms.
He urged both the state and central governments to ensure the safety of political leaders irrespective of party affiliation and stressed that political disagreements should never lead to violence.
Samajwadi Party chief and Leader of Opposition in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly Akhilesh Yadav also criticised the incident, alleging that the attack reflected a pattern of political hostility and intolerance.
Yadav questioned the absence of adequate security arrangements at a politically sensitive event and called for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The BJP has not immediately responded to the allegations levelled by the Trinamool Congress and opposition leaders.
Meanwhile, the incident has intensified the political confrontation between the ruling and opposition parties in West Bengal, with demands growing for a detailed probe into the events that unfolded during Abhishek Banerjee’s visit to Sonarpur.
Authorities have yet to issue a detailed statement regarding the alleged assault or any security lapses connected to the incident.