Calcutta High Court Accepts Plea For Central Probe Over Attack On BJP MP

The Calcutta High Court has permitted the filing of a PIL, a public interest litigation, seeking an NIA investigation into the alleged attack on two Bharatiya Janata Party leaders - MP Khagen Murmu and MLA Sankar Ghosh - while they were distributing aid in flood-hit northern Bengal.

On Wednesday Bengal BJP leader Sukanta Majumdar told NDTV, "We want a central agency-led probe into this case. The state should have over the probe... but we know it won't do that."

"So, for that, for a central agency-led probe, we have to go to the court," he said.

Murmu and Ghosh were attacked - by goons from the ruling Trinamool, the former told NDTV Wednesday - and stones were thrown at them and their convoy, which included three other BJP MPs and as many state lawmakers, in Nagrakata village in Bengal's Jalpaiguri district.

Visuals shared after the attack showed Murmu bleeding profusely from his face and head.

An influential tribal leader, Murmu told NDTV his attackers said 'we are from didi's men', referring to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. "They attacked us... They pushed us and beat us, threw stones at our car," he said, pointing to injuries doctors say will take two months to heal.

The attack has led to further tension between fierce rivals Trinamool and the BJP, particularly with an Assembly election due next year. The BJP has ripped into Banerjee and her government over the attack, accusing the administration of failing to maintain law and order in the state.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the charge Wednesday. He slammed "the absolutely pathetic law-and-order situation in the state" and said, "The manner in which our colleagues were attacked in Bengal - for serving people affected by floods and landslides - is outright appalling."

Banerjee hit back swiftly. Accusing the PM of making allegations without evidence, she said, "In any democracy, the law must take its course, and only due process can determine culpability..."

Earlier in the day she also appealed for restraint and unity.

The Chief Minister is also under pressure from Governor CV Ananda Bose, the central government's representative in the state, after he gave her a 24-hour deadline to identify and arrest those responsible or face 'constitutional action', i.e., possible President's Rule.

Four people have been arrested so far.