Trinamool Congress MLA Kunal Ghosh’s car was allegedly attacked with eggs and stones in Hooghly’s Uttarpara on Saturday, while he was travelling to attend party chief Mamata Banerjee’s rally in Sreerampore. A video from the spot shows people surrounding the car, banging on it and raising slogans of “Kunal Ghosh go back”. The rear windscreen of the vehicle can be seen shattered.
The incident took place at Shokher Bazar, where a group stopped Kunal Ghosh’s vehicle, allegedly damaged its front and rear windscreens and pelted it with eggs and stones. Ghosh also claimed he suffered a shoulder injury.
Calling the incident “jungle raj”, Kunal Ghosh alleged that there was no police presence when the attack took place. “They attacked my car with stones and eggs and blocked the road. No police personnel were present there. I am now returning to Kolkata and will go straight to Lal Bazaar or Bhawani Bhawan to lodge a complaint.”
Kunal Ghosh later went to the Director General of Police’s headquarters at Bhawani Bhawan in Alipore. He alleged that he was stopped at the gate and subsequently submitted his complaint by email.
Mamata Banerjee condemned the incident and alleged that the BJP was attempting to prevent her supporters from attending the rally. “It is not a very good sign for democracy. They are trying to stop us at any cost so that we can’t hold the rally. We got permission from the High Court 15 days ago.” She added, “Such atrocities on Opposition parties do not happen even in African countries.”
TMC leaders alleged that the attack was planned by BJP workers. Party leader Asit Majumdar called it a “pre-planned attack by the BJP, not a protest by common people”.
The BJP rejected the allegations. BJP leader Rahul Sinha described the incident as “nothing but their (TMC’s) inner fighting”, while Uttarpara MLA Dipanjan Chakraborty called it a “spontaneous response from the public”.
Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said people had the right to protest peacefully, but added that “such attacks are not acceptable”.
The incident comes amid a series of egg-pelting protests targeting TMC leaders following the party’s defeat in the May Bengal elections. TMC has blamed the BJP for the attacks, while the BJP has described them as expressions of public anger. Earlier this month, TMC MP Mahua Moitra also faced an alleged egg-pelting protest in Nadia’s Tehatta. The Calcutta High Court has previously sought reports from the West Bengal government over measures taken in connection with such incidents.
