Mamata Banerjee, BJP Trade Charges Over 'Attack' On Abhishek Banerjee's Home

Kolkata: A midnight "recce", an alleged attack at 2 am, a birthday celebration disrupted before the cake could be cut, and a political confrontation that has moved from the lanes of Kalighat to the corridors of Delhi.The alleged attack on Trinamool Congress (TMC) National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee's residence has triggered a sharp face-off between the TMC and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in West Bengal, drawing reactions from Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), with the row unfolding on the eve of Kali Puja and Diwali.It began on Friday, when Abhishek Banerjee alleged that unidentified persons had been conducting reconnaissance of his office and residence for two days. "When confronted, they claimed to be police personnel," he said on X, asking, "Why is the State Police allegedly spying on and snooping around the office and residence of an elected Member of Parliament? Who authorised this surveillance and for what purpose?"He tagged the Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Kolkata Police and the Union Home Ministry, demanding "an immediate and thorough inquiry to establish the identity of these individuals, who sent them and to uncover the nefarious motive behind this suspected conspiracy."Hours later, he claimed the threat had turned real. "After I released the recce video this morning, my house was attacked just now, at 2 AM by BJP goons, right under the watch of the Kolkata police," he said in a post on X on Saturday. Turning his guns on the judiciary, he added, "Thank you, Calcutta High Court and the Supreme Court of India, for remaining mute spectators while all this unfolds."He claimed it was the seventh attempt on his life in six months. According to police and party reports, clashes broke out between TMC workers gathering to celebrate his 39th birthday and BJP supporters between 2 am and 3:30 am. At least eight people were reportedly injured, three seriously. A large police contingent sealed off the area, and several people were detained.Banerjee also posted a video, claiming it showed "a BJP goon brazenly slapping a police officer in plain clothes." "This is the BJP's model of governance in West Bengal, where hooliganism rules and even police officers are not spared," he said.Abhishek Banerjee later said the siege dragged on much longer.Abhishek also addressed supporters during the political mobilisation that followed the incident, asserting that intimidation would not weaken the party."The attack continued till 7 am. Although the police were there, some of them acted as silent spectators, and others who tried to stop the BJP goons were beaten up by them," he said. "The police who can't protect themselves cannot protect the common people anyway," he added."You can demolish my home. You can vandalise my office. You can frame me with false cases. You can do whatever you like... But the courage, human spirit, and conscience that I was born with-you can never take that away, nor will I ever be frightened by you," he said.Addressing supporters amid chants of "Joy Bangla", Banerjee struck a combative note. "My unambiguous message is: not a single Trinamool Congress worker or supporter will ever compromise their spine or bend the knee!"He also cited figures on law and order during the protest, "Shop after shop is being ransacked and vandalized. In the 5 months of this government's rule, from May to October, approximately 2,500 rapes, 600 murders, and over 32,000 crimes have occurred."Referring to the Durga Puja tragedy, he said, "People have never witnessed what happened after the BJP government came to power: 20 people, including a seven-year-old child, were electrocuted to death at a Durga Puja pandal."Slogans of "Abhishek Banerjee Zindabad" and "Mamata Banerjee Zindabad" rent the air.Raking up the voter-list controversy, he said, "Gyanesh Kumar's theft has now been caught red-handed! And who is calling it out? Mamata Banerjee isn't saying it. Congress isn't saying it... Who is saying it? The Election Commissioners themselves! Vivek Joshi and Sukhbir Sandhu."He then threw a challenge: "I am standing in this constituency right now, Ward No. 73, and the Assembly constituency is Bhabanipur. If you have the guts, release just 10 minutes of video footage from the counting centre between 6:00 PM and 10:00 PM. If you do, I give you my word, I will quit politics!"The incident prompted Mamata Banerjee to join Abhishek in a protest in Kalighat. She reached the Kalighat residence later in the morning and staged a protest with her nephew.She accused the BJP of "hooliganism" and alleged that a "gang of thugs" had also attacked a Kali Puja celebration in the area. She said she had written to the Lok Sabha Speaker over a breakdown of law and order."Tomorrow is Kali Puja and Diwali. Last night, at 2:00 AM, an attack was carried out at Abhishek Banerjee's house. This is our locality, a route through which many processions of Goddess Kali pass. Why are you causing such a disturbance? You have revoked permissions for our traditional, long-standing pujas while allowing new ones to be held instead," she said. "We are part of the 'INDIA' alliance, and this is the reason for their anger," she added."There is complete hooliganism going on. People show up here at 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning... If you dare to use a bulldozer, why do you come here at 3:00 in the morning with a gang of thugs to attack a Kali Puja celebration?" she asked.She alleged that a new puja was granted "illegal permission" on the main road."A 'puja' was never held there before; it used to take place inside. Yesterday evening, around 9:00 PM, they placed it right at the road bend, effectively blocking access to our own 'puja'. What is this? This is pure high-handedness and oppression. You want to bring in bulldozers? Go ahead, run your bulldozers over us, over our very bodies," she said.The party's handle on X termed the incident a bid to overshadow Abhishek's birthday."Today, an insecure man attempted to overshadow our Hon'ble National General Secretary's birthday through his sinister plans. Little does he realise that no amount of intimidation or political vendetta can diminish the immense love and affection people have for Mr. Banerjee. People's love will always triumph over hatred, fear and petty politics," it said.In another post, it said, "SLOW CLAPS, @KolkataPolice! Police personnel are being openly assaulted by BJP goons, yet the perpetrators continue to roam free without facing immediate arrest. Is this what law enforcement has been reduced to under the Suvendu administration? Has the police machinery been reduced to a political instrument, operating under pressure rather than upholding its constitutional duty?"TMC MP Sougata Roy accused BJP workers of attacking Abhishek's residence after conducting a prior recce and alleged that police personnel were unable to control the situation."At 2:00 AM, Abhishek's residence in Kalighat was attacked by people associated with the BJP. They had even conducted a recce of the area beforehand, before launching the attack at 2:00 AM. The police were present, yet they were unable to do anything; in fact, the police themselves were also attacked," Roy said.He described the incident as a "deliberate attempt to completely wipe out the opposition" and alleged that the attack was intended to intimidate people from visiting Abhishek on his birthday.TMC MP Kirti Azad said Banerjee had faced "7 life-threatening attacks in the last six months alone" and that he had written to the Lok Sabha Speaker."CCTV footage exists for every one of these incidents," he claimed, alleging that men armed with stones and sticks attacked the premises for 30 to 45 minutes and demolished small shops nearby. "When the police arrived, they did not arrest anyone; instead, they escorted the perpetrators away as if they were companions," he alleged.TMC MLA Kunal Ghosh alleged that the incident was part of a wider pattern of attacks on party leaders and workers, from the senior leadership to grassroots-level functionaries.The party's advocate Arka Nag described the incident as more than an instance of manhandling, alleging that there was an attempt to murder Abhishek and his supporters.The BJP's counter was swift, sharp and laced with sarcasm.West Bengal Minister Dilip Ghosh dismissed the claims as an attempt to "mislead people.""This is the first time we've seen a politician's birthday being celebrated on the footpath. If someone creates a disturbance, there is bound to be a backlash. Besides, who has the time to kill Abhishek Banerjee? There is nothing left for them to say or do, so they are attempting to mislead people by bringing up this issue," he said.Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar also blamed the TMC's decision to hold birthday celebrations on a public road, arguing that such gatherings could trigger confrontation."There is no issue with celebrating a birthday, but celebrate it inside your house. Rent the Calcutta Club, rent Victoria Memorial, rent the Brigade Parade Ground, who is stopping you? But if you block public roads in front of your house and hold a birthday celebration on the footpath, naturally people will get angry. The public is already upset with you; on top of that, if you behave like this, confrontations are bound to happen," he said.Rejecting allegations of BJP involvement, Majumdar said the party did not want to "dirty its hands with small fry", and described the TMC as "dead material".BJP leader and Leader of Opposition Ritabrata Bandopadhyay also disputed Abhishek's version, claiming that local residents were angry over the obstruction of roads used to transport idols during Kali Puja."Abhishek Banerjee's claim is just his claim. The public's version there is entirely different. Tomorrow is Kali Puja. The area where they had encroached upon the footpath during Bua ji's rule is Potuapara, where idols of Goddess Kali and various deities are crafted," he said, adding that locals were angry because the movement of idols was being obstructed."If you want to celebrate your birthday, celebrate it inside Bua ji's premises, within that 'sanctuary', inside your own house," he said.He said the birthday celebrations should have been organised inside the residence rather than on the road, and mocked the gathering by referring to it as "World DJ Day"."I thought that perhaps an application should have been sent to the United Nations to officially declare November 7 as 'World DJ Day'!" he said.Other than the BJP and the TMC, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said the right to celebrate one's birthday cannot be snatched from anyone."We may have differences or enmity with someone, or someone might not like us, but if the right to celebrate one's own birthday is snatched away, then this merely reflects the dire state Bengal is in. The worsening conditions in Bengal are evident from the fact that people are being attacked even on their birthdays," he said."What is happening in Bengal? The culture and ethos (tehzeeb) of Bengal are being degraded because of such actions. I personally feel embarrassed and ashamed that such conditions have developed in Bengal where someone doesn't even have the right to celebrate their birthday," he added.Congress leader Udit Raj called it "an unconstitutional act." "They are indeed committing atrocities there. The way attacks are taking place on TMC and on other people, this is precisely what Sonia ji said yesterday: how this is an attack on the Constitution and democracy," he said.RJD MP Sudhakar Singh demanded President's Rule in the state. "Goons have suddenly come to power in West Bengal, and when goons hold power, it is only natural that lawlessness will increase in the state," he said."I demand the imposition of President's Rule in West Bengal. If you are unable to run the government or maintain law and order, what is the point of remaining in power? The lives and property of the people there are at risk," he added.With Kali Puja and Diwali a day ahead, the war of words shows no sign of cooling, even as further details regarding the alleged attack and police action are awaited.(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)