The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has sought a report on the alleged attack on the car of Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal, Suvendu Adhikari, on Chandrakona Road in West Midnapore district on Saturday night.
The incident has triggered a fresh political confrontation between the BJP and the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC).
In protest against the alleged attack, Adhikari, the Nandigram MLA, staged a six-hour sit-in demonstration at the Chandrakona Road police outpost. During the protest, he spoke to Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the phone and informed him about the incident, BJP sources said.
According to the BJP, the incident occurred when Adhikari was returning to Midnapore from Purulia on Saturday night. He alleged that around 20 Trinamool supporters armed with bamboo sticks and rods surrounded his vehicle and attacked it. As the situation deteriorated, Adhikari reportedly turned his car around and entered the nearby Chandrakona Road police outpost for safety.
Sources said the opposition leader sat on the floor in front of the officer-in-charge of the outpost and declared that he would not leave until those responsible for the attack were arrested. Tension prevailed at the outpost for several hours before Adhikari finally left the premises around 1.30 am on Sunday.
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BJP sources claimed that after Adhikari briefed the Union Home Minister about the incident, the MHA sought a detailed report. The party has also announced a series of protests across the state, including blockades, meetings and processions. Adhikari has called for a protest march in Chandrakona on Tuesday, the 13th.
The BJP further said that the office of the Leader of the Opposition will send video footage of Saturday’s incident, along with relevant information, to the Union Home Ministry.
The TMC, however, has strongly denied the allegations and dismissed the incident as a “drama”. State TMC vice-president Jayaprakash Majumdar said, “Creating unrest in a district, preventing police stations from functioning and disrupting people’s daily lives – such dramas will not continue.”
TMC spokesperson Arup Chakraborty also took a dig at Adhikari in a Facebook post. He claimed that Adhikari failed to raise even a few slogans despite being surrounded by Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel, yet continued to lecture on state governance. Chakraborty further alleged that Adhikari’s security personnel assaulted local BJP leader Gautam Kauri.
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