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TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee was attacked with stones and eggs in Sonarpur, blames BJP, Mamata Banerjee condemns, TMC alleges police failure and pressure on hospitals
Banerjee expressed deep frustration over the local administrative response, pointing out that even though it has not been a month since the election cycle concluded, the police were nowhere to be seen during the initial moments of the chaos. Image/News18
For the first time in his political career, TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee has witnessed this level of hatred and backlash from the people of West Bengal. What unfolded today in Sonarpur, during Banerjee’s visit to the houses of slain TMC workers — Sanju Karmakar and Biswajit Pattanayak, has now sent shockwaves to all leaders of the TMC party.
What Happened In Sonarpur?
Abhishek Banerjee was beaten and pelted with stones during a visit to West Bengal’s Sonarpur South on Saturday, where he was meeting families affected by post-poll violence.
Video of the incident that is circulating on social media shows stones, eggs and shoes being hurled at Banerjee as he travelled through South 24 Parganas. According to witnesses, a group of unidentified people shouted “chor chor” slogans, threw objects at Banerjee and physically assaulted him during the visit.
Videos showed the TMC MP being escorted away by his security personnel wearing a police helmet, with no police around and his shirt visibly torn in the scuffle.
“They Wanted To Kill Me”
Moments after the attack, Banerjee spoke to media from inside the house of the TMC worker, whom he visited to meet. Banerjee, who looked visibly shaken after the attack, accused the BJP of being behind it and said, “It’s all BJP-sponsored. Look what they have done. This is their example of democracy. It hasn’t even been a month, and the police are nowhere to be seen.”
“…They wanted to kill me… The whole incident has been captured on camera. We will definitely let the high court know about this. We will also let the governor know about this… I will definitely move to court…” he added.
‘Rulers Became Killers’: Mamata Banerjee
Reacting to the whole incident, Mamata Banerjee condemned it in strong words and said, “Rulers Became Killers.”
In a post on X, TMC’s official account said, “Staying true to his word, Abhishek Banerjee REFUSED TO ABANDON the grieving family of Sanju Karmakar. Even after a vicious attack by BJP4Bengal-backed miscreants, our national general secretary chose not to turn back. Instead, he stood beside a family devastated by an unimaginable loss allegedly inflicted by BJP-backed hooligans.”
“That is the difference between politics driven by compassion and politics driven by hatred; today’s events have once again exposed the kind of politics you preside over – one rooted in intimidation, violence and vendetta,” it further said.
Politics On Abhishek’s Hospitalisation
TMC leader Kunal Ghosh said, “Pressure is being put on Belle Vue Hospital regarding Abhishek Banerjee’s admission and treatment.”
“I strongly condemn the brutal attack on Abhishek Banerjee. He was travelling to meet the family of a deceased party worker and stand beside them during a difficult time. Instead of being allowed to carry out that humanitarian and political responsibility, he was targeted in what appears to have been a pre-planned and organised attack. The Bharatiya Janata Party is responsible for this incident,” he added.
“The attack was not spontaneous. He was surrounded, repeatedly assaulted, and large stones and eggs were hurled at him. The injuries demonstrate the severity of the attack. If he had not been wearing a helmet at that moment, the consequences could have been more serious. Despite already suffering from eye-related health issues, he was subjected to physical assault and harassment in a manner that cannot be justified under any circumstances. The footage available in the public domain clearly shows what transpired. The attackers can be seen targeting him while slogans of Jai Shri Ram were being raised. The visuals make it evident that this was not an isolated confrontation but a coordinated assault. The most disturbing aspect is that no adequate police security arrangements were present despite the sensitivity of the situation and the stature of the leader involved,” the TMC leader said.
“I want to know why there was no police deployment at the spot. Who instructed the police not to provide security? Abhishek Banerjee is one of Bengal’s foremost political leaders and was recently selected to represent India as part of a diplomatic outreach delegation. If a leader of his stature can be attacked in broad daylight without adequate protection, serious questions arise regarding the state of law and order,” he said.
“The absence of security and the presence of organised attackers suggest that both aspects may have been planned simultaneously. While those responsible for the attack were allegedly mobilised and assembled, security personnel were conspicuously absent. The administration must explain how such a complete security failure occurred,” Ghosh added.
“After sustaining injuries, Abhishek Banerjee was taken to Apollo Hospital. However, the experience there was deeply troubling. For a considerable period, treatment was reportedly delayed, and questions were raised about obtaining permission before medical care could proceed. When an injured individual arrives at a hospital, treatment should begin immediately. No external approval should be required to provide emergency medical care. I do not blame the hospital authorities because they, too, appear to be functioning under tremendous pressure. We understand the circumstances under which hospitals operate. However, it is unacceptable if medical professionals are unable to independently decide when and how a patient should be treated under pressure from external agencies,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mamata Banerjee has accused BJP of threatening hospital authorities so that Abhishek is not hospitalised. She said, “Police has threatened hospital. Second hospital has refused admission but initially they took him in ITU . What CID they are showing.”
However, BJP has not issued any statement on the matter.
West Bengal, India, India
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