BJP's Suvendu Adhikari Allegedly Attacked By TMC Workers, Stages Dharna Inside Police Station

Kolkata: BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari's vehicle came under violent attack in West Bengal's Paschim Medinipur district on Saturday night, after Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers allegedly attacked his convoy. According to reports, Adhikari, the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the West Bengal Assembly, was returning from Purulia when his convoy was attacked by TMC workers at Chandrakona Road. He claimed that the attackers, allegedly backed by the ruling TMC, smashed the glass of his bulletproof car and pelted stones at the vehicle in the presence of the police. 

Suvendu Adhikari has accused the police of being complicit in the attack, saying they were present but did nothing to stop the violence. The violent attack has drawn sharp reaction from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with Adhikari accusing the TMC of orchestrating the attack and the police of failing to act.

The tensions further escalated between the BJP and TMC, as Adhikari sat on a ‘dharna’ at the police station, warning of taking legal action against the police for failing to provide him with adequate security. The BJP has demanded immediate action against the perpetrators and has accused the TMC of creating a culture of violence and intimidation in the state.

Suvendu Alleges Attack On Opposition Voice

BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari termed the attack as an assault not just on him, but on the voice of opposition in West Bengal. He has alleged that the TMC is trying to suppress dissenting voices and create a climate of fear in the state. "This is not just an attack on me, it's an attack on the opposition in West Bengal," Adhikari said in a statement.

He shared a video of the assault in a post on X, saying, “Tonight, approximately around 8:20 PM, while I was returning from Purulia, at Chandrakona Road; Paschim Medinipur district, I was viciously attacked by TMC goons. These cowards, emboldened by the Mamata Banerjee regime's culture of violence and impunity, attacked me right in the presence of the Mamata  Police. The very guardians of law stood by like mute spectators. This is not just an attack on me; it's an assault on every voice of opposition in West Bengal. The TMC's desperation is showing, resorting to thuggery because they can't face the heat of the people's rising anger. I am now sitting on Dharna inside the Chandrakona Police Station, demanding immediate action & arrests. The people of Bengal deserve better than this lawless dictatorship. I will not budge until accountability is enforced.”

The police have yet to comment on the incident, but Adhikari has accused them of being complicit in the attack. He has demanded that the police take immediate action against the perpetrators and provide him with adequate security.

The incident comes amid heightened tensions between the BJP and TMC, with both parties trading barbs over various issues. Adhikari has been a vocal critic of the TMC government and has been facing opposition from the ruling party.

Further details regarding the attack are awaited.