Bengal minister’s car vandalized in Kurmi protest, targeting Abhishek’s convoy

Salboni: The vehicle of West Bengal minister Birbaha Hansda was vandalized on Friday in Medinipur district of West Bengal. The incident took place in Salboni where Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is scheduled to attend a party function on Saturday.

Abhishek, who has Z plus security, led a road show at Binpur and Gopiballavpur in Jhargram as part of his Trinamool campaign. A party leader said that after the rally, he was passing through Salboni when members of the Kurmi community gathered on both sides of the road, protesting their demand for ST status.

As their car moved ahead, they allegedly started throwing stones at the convoy. “Hansda’s vehicle, which was part of the convoy, was damaged in the attack,” the leader said. Officials said that a large number of police forces have been sent to the spot to control the situation. It was not immediately known whether anyone has been arrested.

Banerjee alleged that the BJP was behind the attack. “I support democratic protest. If anyone wants to come and speak to me, they are always free to do so, but what kind of protest is this if you are throwing stones, beating people and destroying vehicles Sabotaging?” They said. Addressing a party program in Gopiballavpur late night, he alleged, “I believe some BJP miscreants disguised as members of the Kurmi community are behind this attack to malign the campaign of TMC.” ‘

He sought a statement from the leaders of the Kurmi community on the attack within 48 hours. “I am giving 48 hours ultimatum to Kurmi community leaders. They should clarify whether they were behind this incident. If they do not give statement, it will be proved that they were behind it, and then law action will be taken Will do.” Take its course,” he said.

Banerjee asked TMC workers to maintain peace and not succumb to any provocation. “When I was in Bankura, leaders of the Kurmi community came to meet me. I spoke to them and told them that I support their democratic demands. But what happened today is unacceptable. And what is even more surprising is that The protesters were raising slogans of Jai Shri.” Ram,” he said.

Rejecting Banerjee’s allegations, the BJP said that in no way its members were involved in the violence. BJP leader Rahul Sinha said, “The protests reflect the anger of the people against the TMC.” Hansda, whose car was damaged in the attack, said violence can never be a form of democratic protest.

Minister of State for Forests, Hansda said, “It can never be a fight for the rights of a community. Those who threw stones are all outsiders, and in the guise of being members of a specific community to justify the violence are using.” Last week, the house of BJP national vice-president Dilip Ghosh at Kharagpur in West Medinipur was vandalized allegedly by members of a Kurmi organization over his comments against the community.

Ghosh said, “TMC is fueling this movement. When my house was attacked, they cherished it, now they are falling prey to it.” The Kurmi community, currently classified as an OBC in West Bengal, protested for several days in April, disrupting traffic on highways and railways in various districts of the state, including Dakshin Dinajpur, Purulia, Jhargram and Paschim Medinipur .

CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty said the TMC leadership should introspect as to why such protests are taking place in the state. He claimed that people are angry with the state government over various issues.