Abhishek Banerjee, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary and MP, was attacked with eggs and stones in Sonarpur on Saturday [1, 2].
The incident underscores the volatile political climate in West Bengal, where tensions over post-poll violence continue to spark confrontations between opposing parties.
Banerjee was visiting the South 24 Parganas district near Kolkata to meet with families affected by post-poll violence [1, 2]. During the visit, a mob targeted his convoy, hurling stones and eggs at the vehicles [1, 2, 3]. Reports indicate that the MP was beaten during the encounter [1, 2].
Following the attack, Banerjee attributed the violence to political orchestration. He said the incident was "all BJP-sponsored" [2]. The BJP is the primary political rival to the TMC in the state.
Banerjee described the severity of the encounter and the intent of the attackers. "They wanted to kill me," he said [2].
In a statement regarding the nature of the visit, Banerjee said, "We were attacked by a mob while meeting families affected by post-poll violence" [2]. The attack occurred in the Sonarpur area, a region that has seen significant political friction following recent elections.
Local authorities have not yet released a formal statement regarding arrests, or the specific identity of the protesters involved in the clash.
“"They wanted to kill me"”
This attack reflects the deep-seated polarization in West Bengal's political landscape. By targeting a high-profile leader like Abhishek Banerjee during a visit to victims of post-poll violence, the incident signals that grievances from recent elections remain unresolved and continue to manifest as physical aggression.
