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Broken rear windscreen of Rahul Gandhi’s car triggers political slugfest in Bengal
Congress veteran Jairam Ramesh told media persons that it was a small incident and won’t weaken the INDIA alliance
Kolkata: The rear windscreen of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s vehicle was found broken during the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra on Wednesday, triggering a political row in West Bengal.
While Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said that it could be because of a stone pelted by someone, chairperson of the party’s social media and digital platforms Supriya Shrinate claimed that the glass broke because of a rope used to mark a security circle from Gandhi.
Congress veteran Jairam Ramesh told media persons that it was a small incident and this won’t weaken the INDIA alliance.
“Someone might have pelted a stone from behind. How do I know? I was in another vehicle,” Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury told reporters in Malda district when questioned how the windscreen broke.
The march led by Gandhi re-entered West Bengal from Bihar on Wednesday through Malda district in north Bengal. Chowdhury, president of the Congress’ state unit, received Gandhi in Malda.
“At every step Rahul Gandhi is being insulted and obstructions are being created. It started the day when the yatra entered West Bengal from Assam though Cooch Behar district. He is not being allowed to hold meetings. They (the state administration) is trying to oppose in every possible manner,” he added.
Police in West Bengal, however, said that the incident took place in Bihar before the march and its participants crossed the West Bengal border.
“I got a message that a glass was smashed in Rahul’s car. We don’t support these and we don’t engage in such activities. Why create a drama for nothing? Later I gathered information and came to know that the incident took place in Katihar. When the vehicle entered West Bengal, the glass was already broken,” said Mamata Banerjee, chief minister, while addressing a public meeting in Murshidabad.
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“A huge crowd had come to meet Rahul ji, when a woman suddenly came forward to meet him, the car had to be stopped suddenly. The windshield of the car was broken due to the rope used in the security circle,” Shrinate posted on X adding that false news need clarification.
A large crowd had gathered at Harishchandrapur in Malda district along the Bengal – Bihar border where the Congress leaders of the two neighbouring states exchanged party flags as the yatra entered Bengal. Gandhi was in the bus.
“We don’t have Congress government in Manipur, Meghalaya Assam, Bihar, Arunachal Pradesh and West Bengal. Such small things happen. We have to face problems. In Jalpaiguri our posters were torn. Today the windscreen got broken. These go on. The yatra won’t stop for these neither will they weaken the INDIA alliance,” said Ramesh.
He also said that Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge had earlier written to West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee that miscreants may create trouble to show the state administration in bad light.
“No incident took place in Bengal relating Rahul Gandhi. That incident happened in Katihar. So, don’t try to confuse public, don’t mix up the spot and don’t make baseless allegations against Bengal,” Kunal Ghosh, TMC spokesperson, wrote on X.
