Who attacked Abhishek Banerjee? TMC, BJP pin blame on each other
The attack on Abhishek Banerjee has triggered a political confrontation between TMC and BJP, with both parties trading allegations over responsibility.
While TMC claims BJP-backed mob involvement and cites the presence of a local BJP functionary,
....the BJP counters that internal rivalries within the TMC may have driven the incident.
With both sides seeking to pin responsibility on the other, claims and counter-claims have flown thick and fast over the incident, which has left the TMC top brass visibly shaken.
Earlier in the day, the TMC shared a photograph alleging that BJP's Mondal president Abhijit Biswas was present at the scene and was "actively directing and instigating" the crowd.
The party questioned the BJP's claim that the incident was a spontaneous expression of public anger, asking who had mobilised the crowd and who was behind the attack.
Responding to the allegations, BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya claimed that the six people arrested in connection with the attack were close associates of former TMC MLA Lovely Maitra until recently.
He said the revelation raised questions about whether the incident was linked to internal factionalism within the Trinamool Congress rather than political opponents.
The TMC, however, rejected BJP's counter and released another photograph of the incident, identifying a man named Akash Gayan as one of the alleged attackers. The party claimed Gayan was a BJP worker and pointed to his social media activity as evidence of his political affiliation.
In a post, the TMC accused Amit Malviya and others of attempting to divert attention from the incident.
At least five people have been arrested for allegedly attacking Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee during his visit to Sonarpur in South 24 Parganas district, police said on Sunday.
The arrests were made during overnight raids on the basis of video footage collected from the area.
The attack took place on Saturday when the Diamond Harbour MP went to Sonarpur town to visit victims of post-poll violence.
Abhishek Banerjee later alleged that BJP activists were trying to kill him, while the BJP denied any involvement and said such incidents were not desirable in a healthy and normal society.
Police said scores of people hurled stones, eggs and abuse at Banerjee. He was escorted away from the mob by his aides and was seen wearing a cricket helmet. Unidentified people also scuffled with him and roughed him up while raising chants of "thief, thief".
"It is because the BJP is in power and we applied restraints; many TMC leaders are safe and living today. Had TMC come to power... I would not be here today and 500 BJP workers would have been killed... And if any other party, Left or Congress was in power, the TMC leaders would not be there to lecture today," BJP state unit president Samik Bhattacharya said on Saturday.
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