Kolkata: In his first public appearance outside Kalighat since the Trinamool Congress (TMC) lost power in the recent elections, MP Abhishek Banerjee was attacked and verbally abused by a crowd of protesters in Sonarpur on Saturday. The incident occurred as he attempted to reach the residence of Sanju Karmakar, a TMC worker allegedly killed in post-poll violence.
Details of the Assault
As Banerjee mounted a motorcycle and then tried to traverse a 600-meter muddy stretch leading to Karmakar's home in ward 9 of Sonarpur Rajpur municipality, the protesters chased him, shouting 'chor, chor' (thief, thief). They pelted him with eggs, stones, and chappals, tore his shirt, punched him in the chest, slapped him, and broke his spectacles while continuously hurling abuses. To protect himself from further injury, Banerjee had to wear a helmet.
The 10-minute assault occurred in the absence of police, with only a handful of party workers forming a protective ring around him and managing to get him to Karmakar's home. He was forced to stay there for over an hour as the angry crowd camped outside, threatening to break down the door. Eventually, central force personnel and local police escorted him out.
Banerjee's Statement
“It was a planned attack by BJP workers. They wanted to kill me. Everyone knew I was coming. The SP, IC, and other officials had been informed in advance. BJP supporters had gathered beforehand and threw bricks and stones at me,” Banerjee said. He added that he would approach the high court and Supreme Court and move a motion for breach of privilege as a Lok Sabha MP.
Political Reactions
TMC chief Mamata Banerjee shared a video of the assault on X and wrote, “Shame on you BJP.” Several party MPs flagged the recent downgrading of Banerjee's Z-plus security in their posts.
The BJP dissociated itself from the attack, claiming party workers were not behind it. “There may be political hostility, but such incidents are not desirable in a healthy, democratic society. My party has absolutely no connection with this. However, we should also remember the atrocities committed against BJP workers by Trinamool over the years. Had Trinamool won, 500 of our workers would have been dead by now. We have exercised restraint,” said state BJP president Samik Bhattacharya.
Junior Union minister Sukanta Majumdar said, “I condemn the incident and appeal to the public not to take law into their own hands. People of Bengal are furious against TMC and Abhishek Banerjee. We need to make Bengal's politics violence-free.”
Police Response
Baruipur SP Shubhendra Kumar stated that police and central force personnel were dispatched as soon as information of the assault was received. “We are initiating steps to identify those behind the attack and will take necessary action against them,” he said.
Hospital Incident
After returning to Kolkata, Banerjee was taken to a private hospital on EM Bypass but was wheeled out within minutes and shifted to another private hospital in south Kolkata. “He is not being treated here due to orders from higher-ups. We are moving him to a different hospital,” said former CM Mamata Banerjee, who had rushed to the Bypass hospital along with Banerjee's mother. The hospital did not respond to the allegations.
Late at night, Banerjee was shifted to his home. “We have been forced to shift him from hospital to home as the hospital authorities said they are under threat. We are forced to make a mini hospital at his home under our family physician. I don't know what kind of a Bengal we are living in now where opposition members don't even have the right to get treatment. Doctors had admitted him in ITU but were forced to release him under threat from police. I saw a senior hospital administrator get a threat call from DC South to not allow him admission,” said Mamata Banerjee, alleging that even the first hospital had refused him admission under threat.
Protesters' Views
One of the protesters cited lack of development in the area for his ire, claiming only roads near TMC leaders' houses had been developed in the past few years. Another alleged that the deceased TMC worker was actually a local goon who had died of a drug overdose. A woman said, “If Abhishek truly cared, he would have stood beside the family of the RG Kar victim as well.”
Aftermath
Mamata Banerjee announced that TMC workers will be on the road from Sunday to protest the attack. “I will also be on the road from June 2 at RR Avenue,” she said.
