NEW DELHI: Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Mamata Banerjee disclosed that Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Congress MP, reached out to her following the alleged attack on TMC national general secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee in West Bengal.
Speaking to reporters late Saturday, Mamata Banerjee noted that Gandhi offered assistance for her nephew’s medical care and expressed willingness to transport him for treatment if needed. “Rahul Gandhi called me and told me if anything is needed, I can tell him, and he can take Abhishek Banerjee to Hyderabad or anywhere else for the treatment,” she stated.
The statement follows an alleged attack on Abhishek Banerjee during a visit to Sonarpur in South 24 Parganas district, where he was meeting families affected by post-election violence. Reports indicate that stones, eggs, and shoes were thrown at him as demonstrators chanted slogans against the TMC leader. Visuals from the scene depicted Banerjee being escorted away by security personnel, with his shirt torn amid the scuffle.
Mamata Banerjee further claimed that there has been pressure on hospitals and medical personnel regarding Abhishek Banerjee’s treatment. “Those who are in power are threatening all the hospitals and the maximum authorities not to admit Abhishek Banerjee because they don’t want him to be treated,” she asserted, adding that a hospital administrator informed her of receiving threat calls from police and that doctors felt pressured.
In response to the attack, Rahul Gandhi condemned the incident, categorizing it as an assault on democracy. He expressed his views in a post on X, stating, “The attack on MP Abhishek Banerjee in Sonarpur is utterly reprehensible. An attack on a Member of Parliament is not merely an assault on one individual—it is an assault on the very people who elected him, and on the democracy that is our shared legacy.” He emphasized the necessity for immediate action from both the central and West Bengal governments against the assailants and extended his well wishes for Abhishek Banerjee’s recovery.
The incident has ignited a political backlash, with a number of Opposition leaders uniting in support of Abhishek Banerjee. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge condemned the attack and raised concerns regarding the alleged lack of adequate security, while Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav described it as a ‘major conspiracy’ orchestrated by the BJP.
The TMC has accused BJP-affiliated supporters of orchestrating the attack, asserting that Abhishek Banerjee continued his visit despite the ‘vicious attack by BJP-backed miscreants.’ Conversely, BJP leaders have denied any involvement in the incident. West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya condemned the attack but suggested that local frustration toward the TMC may have sparked the confrontation. Union minister Sukanta Majumdar also expressed disapproval of the violence, calling for peace and urging citizens not to take the law into their own hands.
Following the incident, Abhishek Banerjee alleged that the attack was premeditated and questioned the lack of adequate police presence at the scene. “Look what they have done to me. This was pre-planned. There is no police in the area. They want to kill me,” he stated.
