Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee on Sunday launched a blistering attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), alleging that the party was attempting to eliminate TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee politically and physically.
In a video statement, Banerjee claimed that BJP workers were responsible for an alleged assault on Abhishek Banerjee in Sonarpur and accused the police of acting selectively. She alleged that those who tried to protect the Diamond Harbour MP were arrested, while the attackers were allowed to go free.
“BJP is trying to kill Abhishek,” Banerjee said, describing the alleged attack on the MP as a shocking assault on a leading opposition figure. She further claimed that despite doctors being called, hospitals were allegedly instructed not to provide treatment, calling the situation authoritarian and unprecedented.
The TMC supremo also rejected allegations that her party had benefited from corruption, asserting that the organization belonged to its grassroots workers rather than its leaders. She said individuals who had exploited their positions had already left the party and that TMC would rebuild itself stronger than before.
Banerjee accused the BJP of trying to weaken the ruling party through intimidation and inducements aimed at elected representatives. However, she maintained that such efforts would only strengthen the TMC.
Reaffirming the party’s agitation plans, she declared that the TMC would proceed with its protest on June 2 even without police permission, microphones or a stage. “Arrest me if you want,” she said, adding that if demonstrations were not allowed in Kolkata, the party would take its protest to Delhi.
The chief minister also questioned why incidents such as an alleged rape case in Behala were not drawing similar public outrage, while accusing her political opponents of spreading misinformation against the TMC.
