Kolkata: A day after torrential rains wreaked havoc in large parts of north Bengal, leaving a death toll of 28 in its wake so far, politics acquired centre stage after BJP MP Khagen Murmu and MLA Sankar Ghosh were injured in a mob attack during their visit to the flood and landslide-hit Nagrakata area of Jalpaiguri district.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who rushed to the flood-hit areas on Monday to review the ground situation and oversee relief and rescue operations, appealed for restraint and unity, and urged people not to indulge in “any untoward incident” amid the ongoing crisis.
Banerjee called the floods and the ensuing destruction “man-made”, and blamed the DVC for the “unrestricted” release of water, resulting in overflowing rivers in the southern parts of the state.
The chief minister announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the next of kin of those who died in the floods and landslides, besides offering a job of home guard to one member of the bereaved families. She distributed compensation cheques to the victims’ family members after reaching relief camps in Jalpaiguri.
Governor CV Ananda Bose, too, visited the flood-ravaged areas of Mirik in the Darjeeling hills.
While BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya – accompanied by party MPs Manoj Tigga and Jayanta Roy – reached out to the flood affected people in Banarhat area of Jalpaiguri district, his party’s Darjeeling MP Raju Bista moved around in the badly-affected Mirik overseeing camps and distributing relief materials.
But the attack on BJP leaders in Nagrakata triggered a political storm after Shankar Ghosh shared on social media a video of Khagen Murmu, profusely bleeding from his face and nose, before being rushed to a hospital, claiming that they were roughed up and their vehicle vandalised by locals.
PTI could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.
Ghosh, the BJP MLA from Siliguri, said they had to leave the place soon after the incident to take the Malda Uttar MP to the hospital.
Murmu was given initial medical aid and later taken to Siliguri for further treatment, he said.
Ghosh, the party’s chief whip in the assembly, claimed in the video that the locals “kicked and punched us, and thereafter, started throwing stones at us, causing severe injury to Khagen da”.
Blaming the ruling party for the attack, the BJP alleged that “TMC’s jungle raj was prevailing in West Bengal”.
“Murmu was attacked by TMC goons while on his way to Nagrakata in Jalpaiguri’s Dooars region to help with relief and rescue efforts after devastating rains, floods, and landslides,” BJP’s co-incharge for West Bengal, Amit Malviya, said in a post on X.
“While Mamata Banerjee dances at her Carnival, the TMC and state administration are missing in action. Those actually helping the people, BJP leaders and karyakartas, are being attacked for doing relief work. This is TMC’s Bengal, where cruelty rules and compassion is punished,” he alleged.
Union minister of state Sukanta Majumdar claimed that Murmu and Ghosh were “brutally attacked in the presence of the Mamata-police”.
People will never forget this “cowardice and shamelessness,” the ex-BJP state president wrote on X.
“Failed Chief Minister Smt. Mamata Banerjee, who, even after receiving news yesterday of the catastrophic devastation in North Bengal and the tragic loss of many lives, was seen celebrating on the Carnival stage at Red Road, has clearly shown how fearful she has become of the BJP West Bengal workers and leaders,” Majumdar asserted.
Reacting to the allegations, Udayan Guha, North Bengal Development minister, said, “whatever happened today is BJP’s own doing”.
“We do not support any form of violence, but at a time when people are affected badly, BJP leaders with a convoy of 10-plus cars went only for photo-ops and without any relief materials. Locals got agitated and started the attack. It is the result of BJP’s misdeeds. You deprive people first and later visit there for photo-ops when they are suffering,” he said.
TMC spokesperson Krishanu Mitra questioned why, instead of the local BJP MP and MLA, the area visit was done by the party’s representatives from distant areas.
“Is this a means to keep them in the media limelight or is it a political strategy to bypass the importance of the party’s local representatives? Is there an internal factional feud at work here?” Mitra asked on social media.
In a post after the attack, the CM appealed for calm and urged people to “avoid rumours and cooperate with those around.”
“My earnest appeal, many people have suffered serious losses in this disaster. We deeply empathise with their pain. Yet, even in this difficult time, we must remember that unity and patience are our greatest strength,” Banerjee wrote without naming anyone.
“Any untoward incident at this time is undesirable. Together, we will overcome this crisis,” she added.
Stating that he had “no comments” on the alleged attack, the governor said he would prepare a report based on his stock-taking experience of the disaster and submit it to the state and the Centre.
Several tea estates in Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri districts were severely hit by the incessant rain, flooding and landslides, causing extensive crop damage, infrastructure loss, and disruption to thousands of workers, Tea Association of India’s North Bengal branch secretary Sumit Ghosh said.
