West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee launched a blistering attack on the BJP after Trinamool Congress National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee was allegedly assaulted during a visit to Sonarpur on Saturday.
Taking to X, the TMC supremo condemned what she described as a "vicious and pre-planned attack" on her nephew and the party's second-in-command, accusing the BJP of fostering a climate of political violence and intolerance. Her remarks came hours after Abhishek Banerjee alleged that an attempt had been made on his life during the incident.
"Rulers have become killers. Democracy is under attack,” she wrote on X.
The attack took place when Banerjee reached Sonarpur in South 24 Parganas to meet families of party workers who were allegedly killed in post-poll violence. The visit descended into chaos as protesters confronted the TMC leader, with videos from the scene showing commotion and projectiles being hurled amid heavy sloganeering.
Addressing reporters after the incident, an injured Abhishek Banerjee alleged that the attack was orchestrated by BJP supporters. "They wanted to kill me. The whole incident has been captured on camera. We will definitely let the High Court know about this. We will also let the Governor know about this. I will definitely move to court. It's all BJP," Banerjee told media.
The Diamond Harbour MP claimed he was hit near the eye and vowed to pursue legal action. He said video evidence of the incident would be submitted before the court and other constitutional authorities.
Reacting sharply, Mamata Banerjee accused the BJP of attempting to silence opposition voices through violence. In her post on social media, she said the assault reflected a dangerous deterioration of democratic norms and questioned the role of the authorities in preventing the attack.
The TMC MP also raised questions about security arrangements, alleging that adequate protection had not been provided despite prior knowledge of Banerjee's visit. In videos the surfaced from Sonarpur it is seen that police arrived at least half an hour later at the spot to tackle the situation.
The episode quickly drew reactions from opposition leaders across the country. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge condemned the assault, stating that political differences can never justify violence in a democracy. Other opposition figures such as Samajwadi Party chairman Akhilesh Yadav also expressed solidarity with Banerjee and criticised what they termed an “increasingly hostile political environment”.
The BJP, however, rejected the allegations levelled by the TMC. Party leaders denied any involvement in the incident and accused the ruling party in West Bengal of “attempting to politicise the episode for electoral gain.”
The Sonarpur confrontation comes at a time of heightened political tensions in West Bengal, where allegations of post-poll violence continue to dominate the political discourse. With Abhishek Banerjee now preparing to approach the Calcutta High Court and inform Governor C.V. Ananda Bose about the incident, the political fallout is expected to intensify in the days ahead.
