KOLKATA, Oct 6: West Bengal’s BJP MP Khagen Murmu and MLA Sankar Ghosh were injured in an attack by a mob during their visit to the flood and landslide-hit Dooars region in the northern part of the state, triggering a fresh political storm.
Following the confrontation that took place in Nagrakata area of Jalpaiguri district, the BJP accused the ruling Trinamool Congress of orchestrating the attack to silence dissent in the region calling the incident another example of “TMC’s jungle raj”, while the ruling party blamed the saffron camp for “provoking” people with a “photo-op visit” amid widespread suffering.
Murmu and Ghosh were part of a team of BJP leaders who had gone to the disaster-hit Dooars region to assess the situation and distribute relief.
TV visuals showed that before they could interact with flood-affected residents, a mob surrounded them, raising slogans of “Didi, Didi,” and hurled stones at their convoy near Bamandanga, about 10 km from Nagrakata town.
The vehicle’s windshield was smashed, and Murmu was seen bleeding from the head.
In a Facebook Live video, Ghosh appeared shaken, describing the attack as “horrifying”.Sitting beside the blood-stained MP inside a car, the MLA said, “We had gone to check the people’s condition. Suddenly, a group of locals surrounded us, shouting ‘Didi, Didi’. They started abusing us, then attacked from behind. Khagen-da was hit on the head, and I barely escaped by ducking inside the seat. We are now on our way to Siliguri for treatment.” Murmu was given initial medical aid at a local hospital before being shifted to Siliguri. Both leaders are said to be out of danger.
The BJP claimed that the attackers were TMC-backed goons, accusing the Mamata Banerjee government of allowing violence against opposition leaders even in times of humanitarian crisis.
The opposition party’s national IT in-charge Amit Malviya hit out at the state government on X, saying, “TMC’s Jungle Raj in Bengal! BJP MP Khagen Murmu was attacked by TMC goons while on his way to Nagrakata in Jalpaiguri’s Dooars region to help with relief and rescue efforts after devastating rains, floods, and landslides.” “While Mamata Banerjee dances at her Carnival, the TMC and state administration are missing in action. Those actually helping the people – BJP leaders and karyakartas – are being attacked for doing relief work. This is TMC’s Bengal, where cruelty rules and compassion is punished,” he claimed. (PTI)
