Bengal BJP MP Khagen Murmu, MLA Sankar Ghosh injured in mob attack; party blames TMC

Nagrakata (WB), Oct 6 (PTI) 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.

He was referring to the Durga Puja Carnival held on Sunday, during which an estimated 100 award-winning puja committees of Kolkata and its neighbourhood paraded their artistically crafted idols on tableaux on Red Road in the city. Landslides, that struck Darjeeling and other areas on Sunday, and flood claimed at least 28 lives.

Union minister Sukanta Majumdar, a former state BJP president, also condemned the incident, alleging that the attack occurred "in the presence of the Mamata-police." "Chief Minister @MamataOfficial, the people of Bengal will never forget this cowardice and shamelessness," Majumdar said in a social media post.

He added that the CM "was seen celebrating on the Carnival stage at Red Road" even as the hills and plains of north Bengal were devastated by floods and landslides.

Earlier in the day, BJP's Bengal president Samik Bhattacharya reached Siliguri along with Darjeeling MP Raju Bista, Jalpaiguri MP Jayanta Roy, and several MLAs including Anandamoy Barman and Deepak Barman to visit flood-hit areas. They accused the ruling party of blocking their relief efforts in several pockets.

The political temperature in north Bengal has remained high after the region witnessed one of its worst natural disasters in years, following incessant rain.

Responding to the allegations, senior TMC leader and North Bengal Development Minister Udayan Guha called the incident "self-inflicted." "First of all, we do not support any form of violence. But whatever happened today is BJP's own doing. At a time when people are suffering, BJP leaders arrived with a convoy of 10-plus cars just for photo-ops without a single relief item. Local people got agitated. This is the result of BJP's misdeeds. You deprive people first and then visit for optics," Guha said.

Echoing similar views, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said the party does not support any form of violence.

"What happened today is entirely the result of the BJP's own actions. While ordinary people are suffering terribly, BJP leaders went there with a convoy of more than ten cars just for a photo shoot without carrying any relief materials. Naturally, the local people became agitated. This incident is a direct consequence of the BJP's long history of wrongdoing and neglect of people's needs," he said.

Ghosh said TMC workers have been tirelessly helping people on the ground from the very beginning not just posting on social media like BJP's warriors, but actually standing by the affected people.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee flew to North Bengal on Monday afternoon along with Chief Secretary Manoj Pant, is expected to visit the worst-hit Mirik area in Darjeeling on Tuesday. PTI AMR RBT PNT NN