Dilip Ghosh, the president of the West Bengal unit of the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), was allegedly heckled by ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) supporters in New Town in the northern fringes of Kolkata on Wednesday morning.While TMC leaders refuted the allegations, opposition parties have closed ranks and condemned the attack.
Ghosh had gone out for a morning walk, when some of his party supporters arranged a few chairs at a roadside tea stall near his newly-rented house, where he could sit and interact with local residents.“Suddenly some local TMC supporters came and started abusing me. They also broke the chairs, tore the posters, and damaged a car. There was a scuffle with my security guards. I have informed the local police over the phone and a written complaint will be lodged soon. I could identify a few of the attackers. They are all TMC supporters,” alleged Ghosh.
The TMC has, however, rubbished the allegations.Sudip Banerjee, TMC’s leader in the Lok Sabha said: “I hear such allegations from the BJP almost every day. Our party is not associated with such attacks.”Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, the leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, condemned the attack and said: “There may be political differences. But for that, you cannot attack the head of a party. This proves how the TMC behaves with opposition parties in Bengal.”
“Such attacks would ultimately help Ghosh in bringing him to the limelight. The TMC is helping the BJP. We condemn such attacks,” said Sujan Chakraborty, a Communist Party of India (Marxist) lawmaker, who represents the Jadavpur assembly constituency and also the leader of the Left parties in the Bengal Assembly.
