West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was attacked in Nandigram on Wednesday evening, reported News18. The 66-year-old Trinamool Congress leader was injured on her left leg, and is returning to Kolkata, about 130 km from Nandigram.
The incident took place when she was coming back from a temple in Ranichowk area. Visuals from the spot showed security guards lifting and placing her on the backseat of a car, reported NDTV.
The Election Commission has sought a report on the incident from the local administration of Purba Medinipur after the Trinamool Congress filed a complaint.
Banerjee alleged that four-five unidentified men conspired and pushed and shoved her. The chief minister alleged that the men came near her car and then cornered her. She added that there was no police officer present at the spot at that time.
“There were four five men who did it,” the chief minister alleged. “See how it is swelling up. Of course it is a conspiracy… there was no security men around me”. Trinamool Congress MP Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, who was in Nandigram, said that the chief minister also has severe pain in the waist, reported PTI.
Banerjee, who was supposed to stay in Nandigram for the night, was being brought to Kolkata. Unidentified officials said that she was being taken to state-run Seth Sukhlal Karnani Memorial Hospital.
Earlier in the day, Banerjee filed her nomination from Nandigram. She was supposed to stay in Nandigram on Wednesday, according to ABP Ananda.
Elections to the 294-seat West Bengal Assembly will be held in eight phases from March 27 to April 29. The results will be announced on May 2. The state will see a three-cornered fight between the Trinamool Congress, the BJP and an alliance between Left parties, Congress and the Indian Secular Front.
The Trinamool Congress also called the attack a conspiracy. “Many people don’t want her to campaign for the elections,” state minister Subrata Mukherjee said. “They want her to be removed from their path. That is why she has been attacked by goons. People will give a befitting reply.”
State Bharatiya Janata Party leader Shamik Bhattacharya wished her a speedy recovery. He added that a high-level inquiry should be conducted to look into Banerjee’s allegations.
BJP’s national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya said that the chief minister could have met with an accident but claiming that she was deliberately pushed was not acceptable. “Such tactics to gain sympathy are unacceptable,” Vijayvargiya said as he also called for a CBI investigation.
Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury alleged that the attack was a gimmick to gain people’s sympathy and score political points ahead of the elections. “And if the minister of police is herself not protected, imagine the condition of ordinary people in Bengal,” he told ABP Ananda. “Banerjee should then admit that there is no law and order in the state.”
Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav condemned the incident and alleged a nexus between the Election Commission and the BJP in controlling the state police. “Nation knows that people who have no belief in democracy can stoop to any level to vent their frustration of fighting a lost battle,” he alleged.
On Tuesday, the Election Commission had ordered the transfer of West Bengal Director General of Police Virendra. Unidentified officials said that the decision was taken after several political parties complained to the poll body, alleging that Virendra was inclined towards the ruling Trinamool Congress.
Nandigram is the stronghold of Suvendu Adhikari, one of the top leaders of the Trinamool Congress who switched sides to join the BJP ahead of the eight-phased election. Trinamool Congress leader Sovandeb Chattopadhyay will contest in Banerjee’s place from Bhowanipore in Kolkata, where the chief minister contested for the last decade.
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