Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee was manhandled, pelted with stones, eggs, and shoes, and roughed up by a hostile crowd during a visit to meet the family of a party worker killed in post-poll violence. The incident occurred in Sonarpur, South 24 Parganas district, shortly after West Bengal's assembly elections, where the BJP secured a decisive victory, ending TMC's long-standing rule.
Banerjee had gone to meet with the family of Sanju Karmakar, a TMC supporter allegedly murdered in the area amid post-election clashes. Videos from the spot showed protesters shouting "chor chor" (thief) slogans as they surrounded his vehicle. Security personnel intervened to escort him away. Banerjee emerged with a torn shirt, broken spectacles, and visible injuries, including to his eye. He claimed the attackers hit him with a brick and that the assault was a pre-planned attempt on his life. Videos from the moment indicate stones and eggs were indeed pelted at him.
"They wanted to kill me," Banerjee said, blaming BJP supporters and questioning the absence of adequate police presence. He vowed to pursue legal action, stating the entire incident was captured on camera, and planned to approach the Calcutta High Court and the Governor. TMC chairperson Mamata Banerjee strongly condemned the attack, posting on X: "Rulers became killers. Shame on you BJP."
Strong Condemnation from INDIA Alliance Leaders
The opposition INDIA bloc has rallied in support of Banerjee and Mamata Banerjee, framing the incident as evidence of BJP's "politics of vendetta and persecution." Akhilesh Yadav was among the first to publicly condemn the attack.
Akhilesh Yadav (Samajwadi Party chief): "By orchestrating a murderous attack on Shri Abhishek Banerjee ji, a key leader of the Trinamool Congress in Bengal, the anarchic BJP government in Bengal has proven that the BJP is capable of nothing but hate-filled, negative, violent politics. Even in such a sensitive environment, the absence of police arrangements points to a major conspiracy. Utterly condemnable!"
Rahul Gandhi (Congress MP): "The attack on MP Abhishek Banerjee in Sonarpur is utterly reprehensible. An attack on a Member of Parliament is not merely an assault on one individual—it is an assault on the very people who elected him, and on the democracy that is our shared legacy. This is the ugly face of the BJP's politics of revenge."
Mallikarjun Kharge (Congress President): Strongly condemning the "shocking attack," Kharge said, "Political differences can never justify violence." He highlighted the "deliberate lack of adequate police protection for a prominent Opposition leader," which "speaks volumes about the BJP's politics of vendetta and persecution." He urged both the West Bengal and Union governments to ensure security for opposition leaders and prevent such incidents.
Arvind Kejriwal (AAP National Convenor): "I strongly condemn the attack on @abhishekaitc ji. There is a deeply worrying breakdown of law and order in Bengal."
Tejashwi Yadav (RJD leader): Joined other INDIA leaders in condemning the violence, extending support to TMC amid the post-poll tensions (specific tweet wording aligned with bloc's unified stance on protecting democratic norms and opposition voices).
Aditya Thackeray (Shiv Sena UBT leader): Echoed the INDIA bloc's concerns, criticising the attack and the broader atmosphere of political retaliation in the state.
This unified response underscores the INDIA alliance's solidarity with TMC leaders following the electoral shift in West Bengal. Leaders across parties have demanded a thorough investigation into the security lapse and accountability for those involved.
The BJP has denied orchestrating the attack, with some leaders describing it as spontaneous public anger against TMC's alleged past misrule. BJP MP Saumitra Kha emphasised that it was public anger against the erstwhile government of Mamata Banerjee.
