Former West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee faced protests and an alleged attack on her convoy on Sunday while she was travelling to Halisahar in North 24 Parganas to meet the family of a Trinamool worker who recently died in police custody.
According to reports, water, mud and shoes were allegedly thrown at her vehicle during the protest. Demonstrators also raised slogans calling Banerjee a “thief” and a “queen of bandits”. The incident took place in the Bijpur area as Banerjee was on her way to meet the family of Birju Keyot, a Trinamool worker who died in the lock-up of Halisahar police station under circumstances that have triggered controversy. Keyot had recently been arrested following a complaint lodged by a woman from Halisahar. His family has alleged that he was subjected to physical assault while in custody and died as a result of police brutality. The police, however, have denied the allegations. Keyot’s wife, Jenny Sharma Keyot, is a former Trinamool councillor of Kanchrapara Municipality.
Banerjee visited Halisahar on Sunday afternoon accompanied by Trinamool leaders Kalyan Banerjee, Dola Sen and Upasana Chowdhury. Despite the protests outside, she managed to meet Keyot’s wife and other members of the family. The protesters claimed that they sympathised with the bereaved family but objected to Banerjee’s visit, alleging that she was attempting to politicise the incident. They accused her of having “ruined Bengal” during her tenure and alleged that her visit could create further tension in the area.
Reacting to the incident, Banerjee strongly condemned the protest and alleged that BJP supporters were behind the attack. “We strongly condemn and denounce this incident. Even after a death in police custody, they are coming to the house and issuing threats. Outsiders were brought in to create this trouble. They used abusive language and hurled large bricks at the car; the condition of the vehicle speaks for itself. Bengal has now fallen into the hands of lumpens,” Banerjee said. She further alleged that the family had been prevented from coming outside to meet her and said that her party would initiate legal action over the incident.
Trinamool leader Kalyan Banerjee also condemned the incident and alleged that there had been a “premeditated plot” targeting Mamata Banerjee. He demanded the resignation of the Director General of Police and the Commissioner of Police over the death of the Trinamool worker in custody.
The BJP, however, denied any involvement in the protest and sharply criticised Banerjee’s visit. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said the incident reflected public anger against the former Chief Minister. “If one has committed so much theft, one has to face being called a thief,” Adhikari said, while denying that the BJP was involved in the incident.
He alleged that Banerjee had visited Halisahar without informing the police and accused her of attempting to politicise the death of the Trinamool worker. According to Adhikari, the deceased’s family had neither invited Banerjee nor wanted her intervention and was satisfied with the administration’s handling of the matter. “The family is satisfied with the administration and the police. Mamata Banerjee cannot deliver justice to them; only the police administration can,” CM stated.
State BJP president Samik Bhattacharya also condemned the incident, saying, “This is not Bengal’s culture.”
