On Tuesday, Bengal Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Suvendu Adhikari said he would knock on the doors of the Calcutta High Court vacation bench if arrests are not made in the case of the assault of BJP MP Khagen Murmu in Nagrakata by the end of the day.
Murmu, who is the BJP MP from Maldah North, and Siliguri MLA Shankar Ghosh were attacked on Monday while visiting rain and landslide-hit areas in Nagrakata, North Bengal. Murmu sustained severe facial injuries and was admitted to a private hospital in Siliguri, where he is currently undergoing treatment in the ICU. Ghosh was also admitted to the hospital.
Speaking to the media before leaving for Bagdogra, Adhikari said, “I will go and visit Murmu and stay in touch with the doctors. An FIR was filed yesterday (Monday) itself against the eight who could be identified, but till now, no arrests have been made.”
Meanwhile, BJP state president and MP Samik Bhattacharya hit out at the TMC, alleging that the attack on Murmu and Ghosh was premeditated, and demanded an NIA probe. He further alleged that the TMC wants to intimidate residents in the flood-affected areas so that they do not accept relief from the BJP.
“If they feel that they can attack the BJP by using Bangladeshi and Rohingya infiltrators, this cannot go on. No arrests have been made. A tribal Adivasi MP was attacked in the presence of the police. The Prime Minister and (Union) Home Minister are monitoring the entire situation. The TMC has done this in a fully planned and premeditated manner. If no action is taken, the BJP will go as far as it can to get justice. We demand an NIA probe into the entire issue,” Bhattacharya said.
The state president further alleged that before the attack, the Superintendent of Police was at the spot, but police arrived only two hours after the incident. “They are saying this happened because of Shankar Ghosh, but those who attacked were in no way part of the affected village. The demographics of the place have changed. This was done only to remove the BJP from there. A particular community is being used against the BJP…. Our government will find out the culprits from yesterday’s incident, wherever they are,” he said.
Bhattacharya claimed the TMC is purposely “creating such situations” so that Election Commission officials cannot visit the districts and SIR is not implemented in Bengal. “In other states, there are elections, but there is no violence or loot. In West Bengal, this has become a trend. If BJP gets attacked in Muslim areas, who will take responsibility? If some feel that they will turn Paschim Bengal into Paschim Bangladesh, they are living in a fool’s paradise. This is the first time in four decades that I am seeing leaders get attacked while trying to provide relief to flood victims,” alleged Bhattacharya.
He further alleged that the TMC has “destroyed” North Bengal. “They are picking up boulders and sand from rivers, and we can see timber floating in the rivers from cutting down trees,” he said.
Meanwhile, BJP MP Khagen Murmu is likely to undergo surgical intervention for facial injuries, including a fractured bone below his eye, a senior official of the hospital where he is undergoing treatment said on Tuesday. The health condition of Murmu, who is still in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the hospital, is stable, according to hospital officials.
Meanwhile, Governor C V Ananda Bose visited the injured MP at the hospital and spoke to him personally. Chief Minister Banerjee also visited Murmu.
On the other hand, Trinamool Congress state minister Shashi Panja hit out at the Prime Minister, saying, “The Prime Minister is the PM of the country, not of a particular party. Yesterday’s attack on the BJP MP and MLA was carried out by residents of the area. Without evidence, how is the PM accusing the TMC of being behind the attack?”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had posted on X on Monday that the attack “highlights the insensitivity of the TMC as well as the absolutely pathetic law and order situation in the state.”
