TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee on Sunday alleged that he suffered head injuries after being mobbed by BJP supporters in front of a police station in West Bengal's Hooghly district. The incident occurred when he visited the Chanditala police station to submit a memorandum protesting the arrest of TMC workers following the assembly elections. Party supremo Mamata Banerjee visited the Serampore MP's residence following the alleged incident, and accused the BJP of "murdering democracy". While the TMC MP claimed that BJP supporters were responsible for the attack, the saffron party denied the allegation and said locals were expressing their anger against TMC leaders across the state. The TMC MP, in a post on X, said, "Just 15 metres away from Chanditala Police Station, while I was on my way to submit a deputation, BJP-backed miscreants launched a violent attack on me. A hard object was hurled directly at my head, causing head injuries and chest pain. The nature of the assault clearly suggests an attempt to inflict serious harm, if not take my life."
"If an opposition Member of Parliament can be attacked in broad daylight, in full view of the police and so close to a police station, one must ask: where is the security for ordinary party workers and supporters?" he asked. The incident came a day after TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee was allegedly heckled by locals during his visit to Sonarpur in South 24 Parganas district to meet families affected by post-poll violence. Tension prevailed outside the Chanditala police station as a group of people waved black flags at Kalyan Banerjee and shouted "thief" at him and other members of the TMC delegation. Kalyan Banerjee alleged that he was struck on the head during the protest and sustained an injury. He was seen holding a cloth to the back of his head. "All this happened in front of the police," he told reporters, blaming BJP supporters for the incident.
The Lok Sabha MP staged a brief dharna, alleging police inaction. He also asserted that the TMC would continue its protests against what he termed "BJP-sponsored attacks". A large police contingent and central forces were deployed in the area to prevent any further escalation. "Yesterday it was Abhishek Banerjee, today it is me. Such attacks will not intimidate us or force us into silence. Our struggle against the BJP government's culture of political intimidation, misuse of state machinery, and the steady erosion of democratic values will continue unabated. "We have always stood with the people and fought for their interests. We were on the streets yesterday, we are on the streets today, and we will remain there tomorrow, continuing our fight for the rights and welfare of ordinary citizens," he wrote on social media.
Following the incident, TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee visited Kalyan Banerjee's residence. The TMC posted on X a photograph showing the party chief beside the MP, who had a bandage on his forehead. In the post, the party said, "Those who believe that violence and intimidation can silence us have learnt nothing from history. Every attack only strengthens our determination to fight for truth and justice. The truth cannot be suppressed. Justice cannot be denied. We will not back down." In a separate post, Mamata Banerjee alleged that BJP supporters had attacked TMC leaders on two consecutive days. "Yesterday, BJP supporters brutally attacked and lynched TMC Lok Sabha Floor Leader Abhishek Banerjee. The terrifying videos are in the public domain. Today, our chief whip in the Lok Sabha, Kalyan Banerjee, was also a victim of a planned BJP attack. BJP is murdering democracy," she said.