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Union minister’s convoy attacked in Bengal as violence after polls continues
The incidents took place on a day when a four-member team was rushed by the Centre to take stock of the violence that broke out ever since the results of the assembly elections were declared on May 2.
Post poll violence continued to rock the state of West Bengal as former Trinamool Congress (TMC) legislator from Dinhata in Cooch Behar, Udayan Guha, sustained a fracture in his right arm, two of his security officers suffered head injuries and a car in the convoy of Union minister of state for external affairs V Muraleedharan was vandalised on Thursday.
The incidents took place on a day when a four-member team was rushed by the Centre to take stock of the violence that broke out ever since the results of the assembly elections were declared on May 2.
Muraleedharan and his vehicle were not affected in the attack that reportedly took place in Panchkuri area where the minister had gone with state BJP leader Rahul Sinha to meet party supporters. By evening, at least eight TMC workers were arrested in this regard.
Sharing a video of the incident, the minister tweeted: “TMC goons attacked my convoy in West Midnapore, broken windows, attacked personal staff. Cutting short my trip.”
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“The violence tarnishes Bengal’s image,” he later told reporters in West Midnapore.
In Dinhata, the ruling TMC called for a 24-hour bandh to protest against the attack on Guha, who lost the local seat to BJP’s Nishith Pramaik.
TMC’s Cooch Behar district president Partha Pratim Roy alleged that the attack was carried out by workers belonging to the saffron party.
Refuting the allegations, BJP district chief Malati Rava Roy said: “Guha lost the polls because of infighting within the TMC. It is the members of the rival faction that attacked him and his security personnel,” Roy said.
At a press conference later in the day, chief minister Mamata Banerjee urged the saffron party to accept the mandate of the people. “Cooch Behar is witnessing more violence than other places as the BJP bagged several seats there. BJP leaders and Union ministers are visiting villages to instigate the people. The BJP is indulging in violence. I request BJP leaders to accept the people’s mandate and restrain themselves,” she said.
