Mamata Banerjee’s convoy attacked by Hindutva goons in West Bengal
New Delhi: Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief and former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has said that her convoy was attacked by Hindutva protesters in North 24 Parganas district while she was travelling to meet the family of a party worker who died in police custody.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Banerjee was accompanied by senior TMC leaders Kalyan Banerjee and Dola Sen when her convoy was reportedly intercepted by protesters. The protesters surrounded her vehicle, raised slogans and threw water bottles, footwear, mud and other objects.
Mamata Banerjee said that “anti-social elements” hurled large stones and bricks at her vehicle in the presence of police personnel. She said the attack could have caused serious injuries had the vehicle windows been open, claiming that those inside the vehicle could have been killed.
She also questioned the role of the police, stating that security personnel failed to prevent protesters from targeting her convoy despite the presence of a security contingent.
The TMC chief was travelling to meet the family of Birju Keot, a party worker who died in the custody of West Bengal Police. The incident has triggered a political confrontation between the ruling TMC and the opposition BJP.
Senior TMC leader Kalyan Banerjee said that people associated with the BJP were behind the attack.
The incident comes amid heightened political tensions in West Bengal, with the TMC and BJP frequently trading accusations over violence, law and order and political intimidation.
The allegations of an attack on a former chief minister’s convoy have also raised questions over security arrangements and the ability of police to prevent confrontations during politically sensitive visits.
