“Kalyan Banerjee has aged. How long will he do all this?”: Samik Bhattacharya hits back on TMC attack claims

Responding to the allegations of violence against the TMC leaders, Bhattacharya said, “Who attacked him? Let them make accusations. The arrested people are all workers of TMC.”

Taking a personal dig at TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee, he said, “Kalyan Banerjee has aged. How long will he do all this? Kalyan Banerjee is a good singer; he should keep singing. You can be involved in politics, but avoid doing all these things. This is wrong.”

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey also denied any involvement of his party in the incidents and alleged that the attackers belonged to the TMC party itself.

“TMC people are the ones attacking Abhishek Banerjee; we have nothing to do with it. BJP workers are not attacking him. TMC’s goon workers are attacking him. Things have gone out of their (Mamata Banerjee’s) control,” Dubey told ANI in Deoghar, Jharkhand.

Earlier in the day, Samik Bhattacharya had said the party would not induct leaders from the TMC, asserting that the BJP’s strength has been built from the grassroots.

“Our doors are closed for TMC. We reached the number 207 without importing anyone… How can we include the people who are tainted in our party? Trinamoolisation of BJP will never happen,” Bhattacharya said.

Attacking TMC’s protest plans in Kolkata, he said, “TMC is not in a position to face the people by protesting on the roads.”

“Now, TMC is against TMC… Mamata Banerjee is talking about Delhi to divert attention… The people of West Bengal have rejected TMC. The game is over,” he added.

His remarks come as TMC chief Mamata Banerjee is set to lead a protest in Kolkata on Tuesday at Rani Rashmoni Road over alleged post-poll violence against party leaders.

The protest follows reported attacks on TMC leaders Abhishek Banerjee and Kalyan Banerjee during visits to affected areas in South 24 Parganas and Hooghly. Abhishek Banerjee has alleged he was attacked with bricks, stones and eggs, sustaining an eye injury, while Kalyan Banerjee claimed he survived an “attempt to murder” near Chanditala Police Station.

Earlier on Monday, Mamata Banerjee expressed deep shock and anger over the alleged targeted violence against party MPs and condemned what she termed as “absurd and authoritarian conduct”.

In a video statement, the TMC Chief has also warned that if prevented from holding protests in Kolkata, the party would take its agitation to New Delhi.

“Arrest me if you want. The TMC will hold its protest on June 2 even without police permission, microphones or a stage. If we are not allowed to protest in Kolkata, we will protest in Delhi,” she said.

Meanwhile, the police have arrested five people in connection with the attack on Abhishek Banerjee, with investigations underway.