BJP MP Khagen Murmu has firmly rejected Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s assertion that local residents attacked him during his visit to flood-affected Jalpaiguri. Murmu, accompanied by BJP MLA Shankar Ghosh, claims the assault was orchestrated by outsiders, allegedly brought in from Delhi and elsewhere to block the BJP leaders’ entry.
Videos of the attack, showing a bleeding Murmu, have gone viral across social media, igniting widespread outrage. Mamata Banerjee, however, characterized the incident as a “law and order situation” and urged restraint. “I don’t want to politicize it. But if you take 30-40 cars inside a village that has lost everything, what can you expect?” she remarked.
From his hospital bed, Murmu questioned the Chief Minister’s account. “How big a convoy can four MPs and a few MLAs take? There was one MP or MLA per car, along with some district officials. How could anyone see it as a 40-car convoy? What they didn’t see was the bloodshed,” he told NDTV in an exclusive interview.
“We Are Didi’s Men”
Recounting the harrowing moments, Murmu said they were confronted immediately upon arrival. “They were shouting, ‘We are from the TMC, we are Didi’s men. Why have you come? The BJP has no business here,’” he said. While most party leaders managed to escape, Murmu and Ghosh were left stranded, unable to board the boat.
Describing the violence in chilling detail, Murmu added, “They attacked us, pushed and beat us, and threw stones at our car, shattering both the front and rear windshields.” He emphasized that the attack is thoroughly documented through videos and eyewitness testimonies.
The injuries sustained by Murmu are severe and will take months to heal. “Doctors said it will take a couple of months. A stone hit me on the cheekbone, breaking it. I could have even lost my eye,” he revealed.
In response to the escalating situation, West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose on Wednesday, October 8, issued a strict ultimatum to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. He demanded action within 24 hours against those responsible for the violent attack on Murmu and Ghosh during their visit to North Bengal’s flood-affected areas. Governor Bose warned that failure to comply would leave him no choice but to act “as per the Constitution,” signaling potential constitutional intervention if the state government fails to maintain law and order.
