Mamata Banerjee's convoy faces protest, shoes thrown, mud smeared on cars
Tensions flared in West Bengal's Halishahar on Saturday after former Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee's convoy was attacked by protesters while
Tensions flared in West Bengal's Halishahar on Saturday after former Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee's convoy was attacked by protesters while she was on her way to meet the family of party worker Birju Keot, whose death in police custody has become the centre of a political confrontation. According to reports, demonstrators surrounded Banerjee's vehicle and staged a protest, smearing the car with mud and hurling water bottles, shoes and other footwear at the convoy. Read Full Story Protesters also raised slogans against the TMC supremo, calling her a "thief" and the "queen of dacoits" as the situation turned chaotic. The protest was triggered by the death of a TMC worker, whose family has alleged that he died after being assaulted in police custody. The family has accused the local police of beating him to death, allegations that have intensified public anger and sparked demonstrations in the area. Banerjee had travelled to Halishahar to meet the bereaved family amid the growing controversy surrounding the custodial death allegations.
However, before she could reach the residence, protesters blocked her convoy, leading to a brief stand-off. POLICE INTERVENED TO CONTROL THE SITUATION Police personnel rushed to the spot and intervened to bring the situation under control. Security officials escorted Banerjee's convoy out of the area to ensure her safety and prevent any further escalation. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleged that her vehicle was attacked while she was on her way to meet the family of TMC worker Birju Keot in Barrackpore, North 24 Parganas. "Large stones were hurled at my car by anti-social elements,right in front of the police. The attack on the vehicle was so severe that if the windows had been open, my head would have been split open," she said. She claimed the attack was severe enough to have caused fatal injuries had the vehicle's windows been open. Accusing the police of failing to intervene, Banerjee alleged they were "providing protection to the BJP".
Reacting to the incident, BJP's West Bengal unit president Samik Bhattacharya condemned the attack and denied any involvement of party workers. He said the BJP did not support stone-pelting, throwing mud or footwear at the former Chief Minister's convoy, adding that such incidents tarnish West Bengal's image. He said those responsible should face action. West Bengal minister Agnimitra Paul also condemned the attack, saying such acts had no place in the BJP's political culture. While criticising Mamata Banerjee's tenure, she said neither the party nor the government supported assaulting, manhandling or throwing mud, ink or footwear at political opponents. "We do not endorse this... If anyone is carrying out such acts while claiming to represent the BJP, they are in the wrong," she confirmed. Stressing that Banerjee was both a woman and a senior political leader, Paul said anyone indulging in such behaviour in the BJP's name was "in the wrong" and should not be associated with the party.
The BriefWire