"Have guts? Run bulldozer over our bodies", Mamata Banerjee furios over late night attack on Abhishek Banerjee's house

Kolkata (The Uttam Hindu): Political tensions have escalated in West Bengal ahead of Kali Puja and Diwali. Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee leveled serious allegations against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying that around 2 a.m. Saturday, miscreants attacked the residence of party national general secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee in Kolkata's Kalighat area. According to Mamata, the traditional Kali Puja held in the area was subsequently disrupted and vandalized.

Mamata Banerjee alleged that the BJP was upset with the unity of the opposition alliance "India" and that this was why such incidents were being carried out. She said that permission for a local Kali Puja, which had been in place for years, was revoked, while permission was granted to hold a new puja at the same location. This caused problems for local clubs and puja organizers.

"Run a bulldozer over us if you have the guts"

Speaking to supporters and the media in Kalighat, Mamata Banerjee expressed her displeasure over the incident, saying that disrupting the party office and puja preparations at 2-3 a.m. was pure hooliganism. She challenged, "If you have the guts to run a bulldozer, run it over our bodies; we won't be afraid."

He alleged that the traditional Kali Puja celebrations were deliberately obstructed by allowing the new puja at the road junction. The Chief Minister said such treatment of religious and traditional events was unacceptable.

'This is the seventh attack on Abhishek in six months'

Meanwhile, TMC MP Kirti Azad also expressed concern over the incident. He claimed that this was the seventh attempted murder on Abhishek Banerjee in the past six months. He wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, raising questions about the law and order situation in West Bengal and the role of the police.

According to Kirti Azad, around 2 a.m. on Saturday, people armed with sticks and stones attacked Abhishek Banerjee's premises for 30 to 45 minutes. Property was damaged and nearby small shops were vandalized.

He accused the police of escorting the attackers out of the scene after arriving at the scene instead of arresting them. Azad said political differences should not escalate into personal animosity. He warned that political violence should never be met with violence.

Security beefed up in Kalighat

Following the incident, police deployment has been increased in the Kalighat area. Police are examining footage from nearby CCTV cameras to identify those involved. Independent confirmation of the allegations of attack and vandalism, and the findings of the police investigation, are pending.