Abhishek Banerjee Attacked:Abhishek Banerjee, Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary and nephew of former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, was attacked by locals during his visit to Sonarpur in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas, to meet post-poll victims' families. A video emerged on social media showing the TMC MP being mobbed and beaten up by a group of residents. He was seen being escorted out of the area while wearing a police helmet, and his shirt was tattered.

Stones, shoes and eggs were hurled at the TMC MP by unidentified people who even attempted to rain blows and kicks on him, while they shouted 'thief' slogans at Banerjee.

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They Wanted To Kill Me: Abhishek

"It's all BJP-sponsored. Look what they have done. This is their example of democracy. It hasn't even been a month, and the police are nowhere to be seen," he said after being assaulted. 

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"TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee was roughed up on Saturday, allegedly by locals, when he visited West Bengal's Sonarpur area to meet families of post-poll violence victims," police said.

"Look what they have done to me. This was pre-planned. There is no police in the area. They want to kill me. I will not leave this place till the local police send their force and offer protection to the victims' families," Banerjee said while meeting the family of a deceased post-poll violence victim.

Stones, Eggs Hurled At Abhishek

Police said stones and eggs were hurled at Abhishek when he visited post-poll violence victims in Sonarpur. The TMC MP has been allegedly manhandled by agitating locals, they added. His convoy was surrounded by chants of "thief, thief" and "go back." Protesters pelted him with eggs and shoes, shoved him, and even ripped off buttons on his white shirt and tore his clothes. The situation became so uncontrollable that the Trinamool leader had to hastily wear a cricket helmet for his safety. At several points along the route, women waved black flags at him, forcing him to abandon his four-wheeler and take a motorcycle.

Abhishek Stayed At The Victim's Family's Home

Before reaching Sonarpur, women in the Kamalgazi area protested by waving black flags. Subsequently, as Abhishek entered Sonarpur, the protests intensified. The crowd surrounded him and continuously pelted him with eggs. According to eyewitnesses, his watch and glasses were damaged in the scuffle.

Despite the intense opposition, Abhishek finally reached the home of Sanju Karmakar, a Trinamool worker killed in post-election violence. There, he alleged that opposition workers were being targeted in the name of the "double-engine government" in the state. He said that if he had left, the victim's family would have been even more vulnerable. 

Questions Raised Within Trinamool Congress Over His Delayed Departure

Earlier, Abhishek met the family of Vishwajeet Patnaik, a Trinamool worker killed in Beleghata, Kolkata, on the night of the election results. He assured the family of legal assistance and alleged that BJP supporters have been continuously threatening Trinamool workers since coming to power. However, questions are being raised in political circles as to why it took Abhishek 26 days to reach the affected families despite the incidents of post-election violence. The opposition is calling it a political compulsion of the Trinamool leadership, while Trinamool is presenting it as the beginning of standing with the struggling workers.

(With Agencies/Jagran Inputs)