Kolkata | Opposition leaders from across the country, including Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal, condemned the attack on TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, calling it the "ugly face of the BJP's politics of revenge".
Stones, eggs and abuses were hurled at the Diamond Harbour MP when he visited Sonarpur town on the outskirts of Kolkata to meet the family of a TMC worker who was allegedly killed in post-poll violence. He escaped the mob wearing a cricket helmet, with the help of some aides and journalists, before being escorted out of the area by a large police contingent.
Condemning the attack on her nephew, TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee said in a social media post, "RULERS BECAME KILLERS -- shame on you BJP."
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that the lack of adequate security for a senior opposition leader reflected the BJP's "politics of vendetta and persecution".
"The deliberate lack of adequate police protection for a prominent Opposition leader speaks volumes about the BJP's politics of vendetta and persecution," he said, urging both the state and Centre to ensure security for opposition leaders and prevent such incidents.
Gandhi said the attack on Banerjee was utterly reprehensible.
"An attack on an MP is not merely an assault on one individual; it is an assault on the very people who elected him, and on the democracy that is our shared legacy. This is the ugly face of the BJP's politics of revenge. Political differences can never justify violence," he said on a social media post.
"The central government and the West Bengal government -- both must take immediate action against the perpetrators, and ensure that no public representative, regardless of their party, ever has to worry about their safety. Abhishek ji, my thoughts are with you and your family. Wishing you a speedy recovery," he added.
The TMC, in a statement on social media, accused the BJP government of failing to maintain law and order.
"BJP goons utter shocking words while brutally attacking a sitting MP - if this is not a premeditated act of political violence, then what is?" the party said.
The TMC also targeted Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, alleging that Bengal had witnessed an "alarming collapse of law and order" within weeks of the BJP assuming office.
"Staying true to his word, Shri @abhishekaitc REFUSED TO ABANDON the grieving family of Sanju Karmakar. Even after a vicious attack by @BJP4Bengal-backed miscreants, our National General Secretary chose not to turn back. Instead, he stood beside a family devastated by an unimaginable loss allegedly inflicted by BJP-backed hooligans," the party posted on X.
"That is the difference between politics driven by compassion and politics driven by hatred. @SuvenduWB, today’s events have once again exposed the kind of politics you preside over - one rooted in intimidation, violence and vendetta," it said.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav called the alleged absence of police protection a "major conspiracy".
"By carrying out a life-threatening attack on TMC senior leader Abhishek Banerjee in West Bengal, the anarchic BJP government in the state has proven that it can do nothing except hateful, negative and violent politics," he said in a post.
Congress MP KC Venugopal described the attack as "a clear example of the BJP's politics of hate and violence".
Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal also denounced the incident, alleging that the BJP had normalised political violence.
Kejriwal, the former Delhi CM, praised Banerjee for visiting the bereaved family despite the hostile situation and accused the BJP of fostering a climate of intimidation wherever it comes to power.
"Wherever the BJP comes to power, intimidation and violence take centre stage. BJP just can't tolerate a strong opposition. West Bengal has fallen prey to the BJP's politics of hate," he wrote on a social media post.
West Bengal Congress president Subhankar Sarkar said while citizens have the democratic right to protest, allowing demonstrations to degenerate into mob violence would set a dangerous precedent.
"People have the right to protest. But if protests are allowed to turn into mob violence, it will become a threat to everyone tomorrow," he said.
BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya also condemned the attack but denied any involvement of his party.
"Such incidents are not desirable in a healthy and normal society. The BJP is not involved in this," he said, adding that the incident could have been a manifestation of local anger accumulated over the years.
"I will not be able to say why the police were not there; it is a matter of the administration. I represent the party. What the TMC has done to our party workers all these years cannot be forgotten. We still remember what they did to Roopa Ganguly," he said, referring to the attack on the BJP MLA's convoy in May 2016 in Kakdwip.
Bhattacharya said the TMC still exists because the BJP is restrained.
"One mustn’t forget that the TMC tried to burn our chief minister, Suvendu Adhikari, inside his car in north Bengal. Several of our national party presidents have been attacked in this very district," he said.
