No BJP workers, flags at attack site: Suvendu counters Mamata's claim against party
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday rejected former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's allegations that BJP workers attacked her vehicle in Halisahar, saying he
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday rejected former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's allegations that BJP workers attacked her vehicle in Halisahar, saying he did not see any known BJP faces or party flags at the site. Banerjee faced a hostile reception in Halisahar in North 24 Parganas district while visiting the family of Birju Keot, a TMC worker who allegedly died in police custody. Protesters surrounded her vehicle, raised "chor" (thief) and "dakait rani" (queen of thieves) slogans, and hurled mud, slippers and stones at her car. Read Full Story Banerjee alleged that the attack amounted to a conspiracy and claimed that she had informed the police about her visit but received inadequate security. "My car has been attacked with stones, shoes and mud. This is nothing but a conspiracy. I had informed the police that I would be coming, but despite that, no security measures were taken," Banerjee told reporters after reaching the area. She alleged that large bricks were also thrown at her vehicle and said, "My head could have been smashed. I could have died here." Banerjee accused the BJP-led state government of using "goons" to target her and said the police were being used at the behest of the state government. "The police are protecting the lumpens. Bengal has gone into the hands of lumpens," she said, adding that her party would pursue the matter legally. SUVENDU ADHIAKRI QUESTIONS ATTACK ALLEGATIONS Countering Banerjee's allegations, Adhikari said she continues to belong to the Z+ security category and claimed that the state had not withdrawn her security. "She belongs to the Z+ security category. We did not withdraw it," Adhikari said. He said the Director of Security and senior officers were present at the location for his security and that he had directly asked them whether there had been any communication regarding Banerjee's visit.
"They said, 'We had no communication,'" Adhikari said. Adhikari also referred to television footage of the incident and said the police had provided adequate support under the leadership of a senior Deputy Commissioner. "From what I have seen in TV footage, under the leadership of a senior Police DC, the police provided proper support. And I did not see any known BJP faces there, nor did I see any party flags," he said. He questioned the circumstances of Banerjee's visit, saying she had gone there on a holiday with a lawyer without informing the police. "You went there on a holiday, taking a lawyer along to play politics without informing the police," Adhikari said. He claimed that the police had nevertheless made extensive arrangements and said it was "questionable" whether Banerjee currently fell under the security category. However, Adhikari said authorities had been instructed to provide her with security and respect because she had served as chief minister for 15 years and was elderly. "We have instructions: she was a former Chief Minister for 15 years, and she is elderly. Complete security and respect should be accorded to her as far as possible. The police did that job; they did nothing wrong," he said. SUVENDU ADHIAKRI CITES VICTIM'S FAMILY Adhikari also questioned Banerjee's attempt to intervene in the case of Birju Keot, saying the victim's family had expressed satisfaction with the administration and police and wanted the circumstances of his death investigated. Keot, the husband of former Kanchrapara municipal councillor Jeni Sharma Keot, had been arrested by Halisahar police in connection with allegations including extortion. He was produced before a court on Friday, which remanded him in police custody for five days. His death was reported on Saturday. His wife alleged that he was beaten inside the lock-up and died as a result of police assault.
The BriefWire