Union Minister Nisith Pramanik’s Convoy Attacked In West Bengal, TMC Says ‘Infighting’

The political conflict between Trinamool Congress and BJP in West Bengal took an ugly turn yesterday as the union minister of state for home Nisith Pramanik’s convoy had been allegedly attacked in Cooch Behar, a district in North Bengal.

The minister was on his way to Sitai to meet the “assaulted” party members who allegedly got hit by the TMC supporters in a scuffle last week.

Though the police have said that it was a minor clash that broke out as some people waved black flags at the minister, the BJP said that crude bomb and stones had been thrown at his convoy. As per the police, there were around 20 vehicles in his convoy and another 200 people were accompanying him in motorcycles and the scuffle ensued when some people gathered to wave black flags at the minister.

“There was a minor scuffle between people in the minister's convoy and bystanders carrying black flags when the cavalcade was passing through Sitai. During the scuffle, a few motorcycles were damaged. On-duty police officers intervened, and the situation was brought under control. We have not arrested anyone,” the Police added.

However, later Pramanik told the reporters that the attackers will receive suitable ‘reply’. “If they attack my convoy, we won't shower flowers on them. If they attack, they will get a reply,” the minister said.

Referring to his purpose of visit he said, “I came here to meet BJP workers, who were assaulted a few days back. We stand with our party workers. We are not here to conduct any political programme. I just wanted to meet the party workers and their families.”

He also questioned how people were allowed to gather at the road with sticks and weapons. “The police was well aware of my convoy's route. How is that they could gather on the road with sticks and other weapons despite police presence? This question needs to be answered first. If the police had made foolproof arrangements, then how is that a threat was posed to my convoy?” he asked.

Reactions of BJP central leadership

The boiling tension between the two major parties in West Bengal further took a bad turn with the alleged attack on the union minister.

National vice president of BJP Dilip Ghosh has termed the attack on a minister ‘shameful’ and said, “This is a regular affair in the state, where opposition workers are also attacked and killed by the TMC regime. Earlier, our national president J P Nadda ji's convoy came under attack in South 24 Parganas district.”

In December, 2020, some people at Diamond Harbour in South 24 parganas allegedly attacked BJP president J P Nadda’s convoy.

A Response to TMC’s provocation?

Responding to the incident, Kunal Ghosh, the spokesperson of TMC said, “We don't know what happened there, so it won't be right to comment. But I don't think the TMC is involved.”

However, last week, a video that took the social media to storm showed a senior leader of TMC Udayan Ghosh asking the workers to cut off the beard and moustache of Pramanik and ensure grand victory for the party in 2024 general elections.

On the attack, Guha said, “No such incident has taken place in that area. The TMC is not involved in any form of violence; maybe BJP's infighting had led to some trouble.”

Notably, TMC though secured a huge victory in 2021 assembly elections, their result in North Bengal was not satisfactory. While South Bengal has been in favour of the party since 2011, North Bengal has remained distant from party’s unanimous reach.