- Trinamool MP Kalyan Banerjee was assaulted in Chanditala, Hooghly this morning
- Kalyan Banerjee was hit on the head and fell to the ground
- The incidents reflect rising tensions against Trinamool leaders in West Bengal
A day after Trinamool's second-in-command, Abhishek Banerjee, was assaulted by a crowd, another party MP came under attack in his own constituency in West Bengal this morning. Kalyan Banerjee was hit on his head in Hooghly's Chanditala, visuals showed, as cops tried to control the crowd. He then wrapped his hand around his head and fell to the ground.
The Sreerampur MP was greeted with black flags and 'chor chor' slogans, similar to the public outrage that his colleague faced in Sonarpur in South 24 Paraganas district the previous day.
Banerjee, however, ruled out any outrage in his case. He specifically targeted the BJP, asserting that it was a planned attack on him. The BJP is yet to respond.
What Happened In Chanditala
Kalyan Banerjee and his supporters reached Chanditala this morning to hand over a complaint over post-poll violence at the local police station. Chanditala comes under the Sreerampur Lok Sabha constituency. Banerjee had won the seat four times since 2009.
Visuals showed him walking past a truck when something hit his head from behind. He held his head and collapsed. The cops around him tried to clear the area. He was back on his feet soon, but was unable to keep his balance. He was later seen with a white cloth tied around his head as he addressed his supporters.
The MP later alleged that either a cricket ball or a stone was thrown at his head and blamed the BJP for what he described as an "attempt to murder" him.
Narrating the incident, he said he had left his car behind due to traffic congestion.
"Suddenly, 10-15 goons shouted slogans and created a rivalry atmosphere. They abused me, but I kept proceeding, and at that time, a stone was thrown at my head. There was blood in my kurta and pajama. I had fallen on the road, and that time, a CRPF person came and rescued me," he told reporters.
He thanked the central forces for saving him, while bashing the Bengal Police as "silent, mute spectators".
Kalyan Banerjee also said that there's "total lawlessness" in the state and that Trinamool leaders are being targeted.
Read: For The Banerjees, Who Ruled Bengal For 15 Years, A Fall From Grace
Outrage In Sonarpur
Abhishek Banerjee faced a similar assault by the public during his visit to party workers affected by post-poll violence in Sonarpur in South Paraganas. The nephew of former chief minister Mamata Banerjee was seen being pushed, heckled, and manhandled. Eggs were thrown at him. So were stones. 'Chor, chor' slogans echoed in the air.
The security personnel made him wear a cricket helmet and moved him to safety. Brought back to Kolkata, he was taken to a private hospital where doctors said he had only minor injuries.
Mamata Banerjee claimed he could have died if he had not worn a helmet. She and her nephew both targeted the BJP over the attack. But the BJP denied any involvement, asserting that this was the result of 15 years of misgovernance.
"This is the public's anger. For 15 years, you thought you were God. What kind of politics have you played? Today, eggs are being thrown at you, shoes are being thrown at you. People are spitting and abusing you in front of your house," said Bengal minister Agnimitra Paul.
The public had been enduring the Banerjees' rule for 15 years, and that anger must show up somewhere, Paul's colleague Dilip Ghosh tried to justify.
