Original Image: Twitter / @abhishekaitc
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was allegedly attacked by 4-5 men while campaigning in East Midnapore last evening. Banerjee says she was heckled and pushed by some when she was interacting with villagers in Birulia Bazar. She has sustained injuries to her leg and shoulders.
Shortly after the attack Banerjee told media persons present at the spot, “I was standing next to my vehicle when 4 to 5 men pushed me. Look at my swollen leg.”
Doctors at the SSKM Hospital where she was admitted told media persons that Banerjee had sustained injuries to her left ankle, foot, right shoulder, forearm and neck. She also complained of chest pain and breathlessness. Banerjee is being attended to by a team of five senior doctors and she will remain under observation for 48 hours.
Her nephew Abhishek tweeted this picture of Banerjee in hospital:
.@BJP4Bengal Brace yourselves to see the power of people of BENGAL on Sunday, May 2nd.
Get READY!!! pic.twitter.com/dg6bw1TxiU
— Abhishek Banerjee (@abhishekaitc) March 10, 2021
Shortly afterwards, there was a huge outpouring of support from political leaders. Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav tweeted, “I unequivocally condemn the cowardly & despicable attack on @MamataOfficial ji by goons. PS-WB police is now controlled by EC which is directed by BJP. Nation knows tht ppl who hv no belief in democracy can stoop to any level to vent their frustration of fighting a lost battle.” He added, “I wish @MamataOfficial ji a speedy recovery! Those behind this attack must not be spared.”
I wish @MamataOfficial ji a speedy recovery! Those behind this attack must not be spared.
— Tejashwi Yadav (@yadavtejashwi) March 10, 2021
Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Akhilesh Yadav too came out in Banerjee’s support tweeting that news of the Chief Minister getting injured was worrisome. He demanded a high-level inquiry into the matter.
प. बंगाल की मुख्यमंत्री सुश्री @MamataOfficial के चोटिल होने की सूचना चिंताजनक है। उनके शीघ्र स्वास्थ्य लाभ की कामना!
इस संदर्भ में तत्काल एक उच्च स्तरीय समिति बनाकर जाँच होनी चाहिए, जिससे सच सामने आ सके।
— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) March 10, 2021
Banerjee is contesting the upcoming assembly elections from Nandigram opposite her former party man Suvendu Adhikari in an electoral face-off that promises to be anything but drama-free. Stakes have always been high and intermittent instances of violence have become rather commonplace with members of all parties reporting being attacked or targetted.
A convoy of senior BJP leaders including party president JP Nadda, state minder Kailash Vijayvargiya and Mukul Roy was attacked en route to Diamond Harbour in December 2020. At that time Banerjee had dismissed the claims of the attack as “nautanki” or “drama”. At that time, Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghose reportedly promised revenge for the attacks in a Facebook post saying, “Bodol hobey, bodlao hobey (There will be change, there will also be revenge).” This is a play on Mamata Banerjee’s own words from 2011, “Bodla noy, bodol chai (We don’t want revenge, we want change).” Ghosh had also promised to “return everything with interest”.
In February 2021, TMC state Minister and Jangipur MLA Jakir Hossain was severely injured when unidentified men hurled a crude bomb at him at Nimtita railway station in Murshidabad district.
Related:
Battleground Bengal: From bomb blasts to ‘bandobast’
Mamata dubs attack on BJP convoy “nautanki”, Dilip Ghosh promises revenge