Kolkata: Veteran Trinamool Congress MLA Madan Mitra encountered a hostile protest in his Kamarhati constituency on Saturday night, as demonstrators shouted 'chor-chor' (thief-thief) slogans and threw eggs at his vehicle. This incident follows a similar attack on Dum Dum MP Saugata Roy on May 28, who faced protests outside Nimta police station after submitting a deputation alleging attacks on TMC councillors.
Details of the Attack
On Saturday night, a group of local residents in Ariadaha, Kamarhati, targeted a vehicle linked to Madan Mitra with eggs. This is the latest in a series of protest actions against TMC functionaries, from top leaders to grassroots representatives, since the assembly election defeat. Mitra described the episode as a close brush with danger, stating, 'I saw death from very close quarters. I also heard gunshots while leaving the area later. An attempt was made to kill me.'
According to local sources, protesters pelted his vehicle with eggs, forcing him to withdraw from the locality. The incident occurred around 10:45 PM after Mitra visited Ariadaha following reports of unrest. A group of protesters targeted his vehicle with eggs and shouted slogans against the MLA. The driver was also allegedly assaulted. Initial reports suggested Mitra was not inside the vehicle at the time. The driver managed to steer the car out of the area, avoiding further damage.
Social Media and Response
A video purportedly showing the protest and attack has gone viral on social media, though its authenticity could not be independently verified. Later that night, Mitra addressed the incident via Facebook Live, first from his vehicle and then from his residence, reiterating that he saw death from close quarters. He blamed BJP-backed miscreants for the attack, calling it a pre-planned attempt to target him and politically motivated to create unrest.
The BJP denied any involvement, claiming the incident was a spontaneous outburst of public anger against corruption, extortion, and atrocities by TMC functionaries over a prolonged period.
Background of Tensions
Local sources indicate that tension had been brewing in Kamarhati's Ward No. 14, where auto-rickshaw and e-rickshaw drivers staged a protest outside a local TMC councillor's residence on Saturday evening. The protesters accused the councillor of collecting 'cut money' (illegal commissions) over a prolonged period and demanded the return of the money allegedly taken from residents. 'The attack on Mitra's vehicle has added to the political turbulence in the area and sparked fresh debate over growing public resentment against sections of the TMC party leadership,' a local resident said.
