Debashish Acharya hit the politician on his face.
The man who slapped Trinamool MP and Mamata Banerjee's nephew at a public rally yesterday has been charged with attempt to murder. He has also been charged with criminal trespass, voluntarily causing hurt, criminal intimidation and criminal conspiracy.
Debashish Acharya, who the police said is 23 years old, has also been arrested though he remains in hospital in what medical authorities described as "stable condition".
The police have also registered a case against those who attacked Mr Acharya. They've will be charged with unlawful assembly, voluntarily causing grievous hurt, common intent and attempt to commit culpable homicide not amounting to murder. There have been no arrests in this case yet.
Asked if the charge of attempt to murder against Mr Acharya was called for, East Midnapore district superintendent of police, Sukesh Jain, said, "The charges have been framed on the basis of complaint filed by the party of the assaulted MP. The case is still being investigated."
Meanwhile, the victim of the assault, Abhishek Banerjee, today said on Facebook, "At a personal level,, let me forgive the perpetrator and wish him early recovery. Today is a new day, let us look ahead. I also urge my co-workers to maintain peace, harmony throughout the state and be restrained in their actions. My beliefs and my will to work will not lessen because of what happened. Whoever is behind the act of cowardice has no idea what we are made of."
In his videographed police interrogation, Debashish Acharya has told the police that he was attracted to "religious spiritualism". He also said last year, he was appointed
zila pramukh of BJP's student wing, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyathi Parishad (ABVP).
Mr Acharya also admitted he had links with the RSS leadership in the East Midnapore district.
According to Anuj Sharma, Inspector General of West Bengal Police (Law and Order), there is also a case against Mr Acharya registered at the Deganga police station in North 24 Parganas district in November 2012 for assaulting a first year student of an engineering college at Berachapa.
The police have detained two people linked to Mr Acharya. One of them, Tamal Biswas, had rented a room to Mr Acharya at Contai in East Midnapore district since November. Mr Biswas is also believed to have admitted he had RSS links.