The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Friday alleged that a BJP supporter carrying weapons attempted to target the party's national general secretary, Abhishek Banerjee, at Kolkata airport, describing the incident as a possible attempt on his life.
Party's Allegations on Social Media
In a post on social media, the party claimed that a “BJP Bengal goon armed with weapons” had possibly planned to “murder” Banerjee. The TMC also accused the BJP-led state administration of failing to maintain law and order and allowing political violence to flourish.
“A BJP Bengal goon ARMED WITH WEAPONS possibly planned to MURDER our Hon'ble National General Secretary Shri Abhishek Banerjee,” the party wrote. It further alleged that criminals were operating with “absolute impunity” and questioned whether the episode amounted to a “state-sponsored attempt to eliminate a political opponent”.
Background of Political Tensions
The TMC has repeatedly accused the BJP of encouraging attacks on its leaders, while the BJP has argued that such incidents reflect public anger against the former ruling party. Abhishek Banerjee himself was among the first senior TMC leaders to face hostility after the election results. Days after the defeat, eggs were hurled at him during a public appearance. Senior TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee was similarly targeted shortly afterwards.
Recent Incidents Involving TMC Leaders
The latest allegation also follows another incident involving senior TMC leader and former minister Udayan Guha. On Thursday, eggs were thrown at Guha outside a court in Dinhata, a day after his arrest in an alleged extortion case. Television visuals showed Guha, wearing a helmet and escorted by police officers carrying shields, when an egg was thrown in his direction. The projectile struck his helmet.
These repeated attacks have heightened tensions between the two parties, with the TMC demanding stricter action from the state administration. The BJP, meanwhile, has dismissed the allegations as baseless and part of a TMC strategy to deflect attention from internal issues.
