The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief in West Bengal has warned the Trinamool Congress of “revenge” after the convoy of his party’s national president JP Nadda was allegedly attacked on 10 December during his two-day tour.
“Bodol hobe, bodlao hobe (We shall change and we shall take revenge as well),” wrote Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh on Facebook on 10 December following an attack on BJP chief JP Nadda’s convoy by alleged TMC supporters.
In the post, Bengal BJP chief said: “everything will be returned with interest.
In 2011, Mamata Banerjee had used the slogan ‘Bodla noy, Bodol chai’, which meant change needed, not revenge
The TMC-BJP war of words erupted after a convoy of BJP chief JP Nadda came under attack by alleged TMC supporters in West Bengal, leaving several people injured.
JP Nadda called the attack “unprecedented” and alleged West Bengal has slipped into “complete lawlessness and goonda raj”. He said the violence reflected the “frustration” of the Mamata Banerjee government.
In response to Dilip Ghosh’s ‘revenge’ threat, Bengal BJP leader Sayantan Basu said, “Ek maroge to char marenge (you kill one, we will kill four).”
Sayantan Basu reportedly said vandalism at TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee’s residence in Delhi is “just the beginning.”
Union Home Minister Amit Shah had on 10 December called the attack on JP Nadda “sponsored violence”, and alleged that the state has “descended into an era of tyranny and anarchy” under the Trinamool rule.
The Central government sent a communication to Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar, seeking a detailed report on law and order situation and the steps being taken by the state government in maintaining peace and tranquility after Thursday’s attack on Nadda’s convoy.
JP Nadda’s convoy was allegedly attacked with stones and bricks while on its way to Diamond Harbour in Kolkata. Cars of several party leaders including that of BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya and West Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh which were part of the convoy were damaged in the alleged attack.
Expressing serious security concerns, Dilip Ghosh in a letter to Amit Shah alleged that “during his (Nadda’s) different engagements in Kolkata, it was observed that there were serious lapses on security arrangements, purportedly due to negligence and/or casual approach of the state police department.”
He claimed that some of the protesters climbed on cars parked outside the party’s office and raised slogans, and the “police did not intervene to stop them and casually allowed them to come within a close perimeter of Nadda ji’s vehicle”.
West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee insinuated the attack was staged. “Every day they (BJP activists) are coming out (for rallies) with firearms. They are slapping themselves and blaming it on the Trinamool Congress. Just think of the situation. They are roaming around with the BSF, CRPF, Army, CISF….then why are you so scared,” Banerjee said in Kolkata.
Her nephew and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee, in whose constituency the attack took place, however, claimed it was an outpouring of public anger as the BJP had not stood by them during difficult times.
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