TMC delegation to meet EC over alleged attack on Mamata Banerjee

Banerjee, who had sustained injuries on her left leg and was experiencing chest pain along with fever was rushed to the SSKM Hospital where her condition is currently reported to be ‘stable’, according to PTI on Thursday.

A delegation of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) will meet officials of the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday and file a complaint about the alleged attack on party supremo and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee in her constituency of Nandigram on Wednesday evening, according to news agency ANI. Banerjee, who had sustained injuries on her left leg and was experiencing chest pain along with fever was rushed to the SSKM Hospital where her condition is currently reported to be ‘stable’, according to PTI on Thursday.

“A few people came around my car and pushed the door. The door hit my leg,” the West Bengal CM said adding that there were neither any police personnel nor the district police superintendent present around her. (ANI Photo)

The attack took place at around 6.30pm on Monday after Banerjee was about to leave the Birulia area near Reapara in Nandigram after offering prayers at a local temple. Banerjee alleged that she was attacked by four-five men as she was standing outside her car with the door opened. “A few people came around my car and pushed the door. The door hit my leg,” the West Bengal CM said adding that there were neither any police personnel nor the district police superintendent present around her.

TMC supporters protested against the attack on Wednesday and raised slogans against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Protests were also held in multiple places across Bengal such as Paschim Bardhaman, Jalpaiguri, North 24 Parganas etc. Some supporters were also seen protesting at the SSKM Hospital where they raised “go-back” slogans as state governor Jagdeep Dhankhar arrived at the hospital to visit Banerjee and enquire about her health.

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Senior officials of the Purba Medinipur district visited the site in Nandigram on Thursday to ascertain the sequence of events that led to the attack. District magistrate Vibhu Goel, superintendent of police Praween Prakash and others spoke to eyewitnesses and also looked for any CCTVs installed in the area. The officials will later submit a report to the Election Commission.

Meanwhile, opposition parties in Bengal—the BJP, the Congress and the CPI(M)—have labelled the attack on Banerjee as a “tactic to gain sympathy” prior to the assembly elections in the state scheduled to take place from March 27 to April 29 with the counting of votes on May 2.

Vice president of the BJP’s Bengal unit Arjun Singh said on Wednesday that Banerjee was doing ‘drama’ and demanded that IPS officers part of her security detail should be suspended. Further sharpening his attack, Singh said, “Is it Taliban that Mamata’s convoy was attacked? There are 300 police officers for her security and at least 4,000 police on the way. Who can get near her?”

A delegation of the BJP will also meet the EC on Thursday and demand a proper inquiry into the attack.

(With agency inputs)