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Mamta Banerjee, credit:X
Kolkata: Tensions erupted in Halishahar over the weekend when a convoy for former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was attacked by demonstrators outside the house of a local Trinamool Congress (TMC) worker. Banerjee was on her way there to meet the bereaved mother and daughter of Birju Keot, who has died in police custody and whose death has sparked a political controversy.
The demonstrators blocked Banerjee’s convoy and pelted mud on the car. They yelled slogans against Banerjee calling her “thief” and “queen of dacoits”.
The demonstrations over the death of TMC worker Birju Keot. The family of the deceased has accused the police of beating Keot while in custody and states that he died as a result. This accusation has sparked anger in the local community and led to demonstrations.
Banerjee had gone to Halishahar to meet the deceased's mother and daughter and to discuss the circumstances of his death. But before she could get to the parents' house, demonstrators blocked Banerjee's convoy and created a tense situation.
Police arrived shortly after and moved in to control the mob. Security personnel took Banerjee's car convoy away from the site to protect her and to stop the situation from spiralling out of control.
Banerjee later claimed that her vehicle was attacked while she was en route to visit Keot's family in Barrackpore, in North 24 Parganas.
She further claimed that huge stones were thrown at her car in front of the police and that the attack was severe and could have left her with a life-affecting injury had police windows remained open.
She said that the police did not do anything to stop the attack and that they were shielding the BJP.
BJP's West Bengal president Samik Bhattacharya said the attack was condemnable and said that there was no involvement of BJP workers.
BHattacharya said the BJP did not support stone-pelting, throwing mud or footwear at Banerjee's convoy. He said that such acts bring shame on the image of West Bengal. He added that those responsible have to be brought to book.
West Bengal minister Agnimitra Paul said we have no place for a behaviour like this. It doesn't belong in the BJP's political culture.
Criticising Banerjee's time as chief minister, Paul said that neither the BJP nor the government endorsed “attacking, manhandling or throwing mud, ink or footwear on political opponents”.
Paul added that parties or political groups were allowed to do such things only if they did not call themselves the BJP, she said.
The protest over the death of Birju Keot, a TMC worker who fell seriously ill in police custody, has now escalated into a political fight.
The TMC worker was arrested over corruption and extortion allegations. His health reportedly worsened while he was in custody and he was eventually taken to a hospital where he died.
Police have blamed his death on a heart attack. However, his wife has said he was beaten and tortured badly while he was in police custody. She has demanded that an independent enquiry should be carried out.
The incident has now become a political fight that has erupted in West Bengal. The TMC has alleged that he was abused while he was in police custody and are seeking accountability while the BJP is demanding a proper enquiry into his death.
