BJP leader Dilip Ghosh was allegedly manhandled and faced “go back” slogans from ruling Trinamool Congress workers on the last day of campaign in Kolkata’s Bhabanipur, where Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee faces a crucial by-election on Thursday (September 30).
The BJP has been campaigning aggressively in Bhabanipur and has fielded lawyer Priyanka Tibrewal against Mamata Banerjee, who has to win this by-poll to stay Chief Minister.
Dilip Ghosh was physically pushed by Trinamool workers when he went inside a vaccination camp. But the Trinamool alleged that his security had threatened people with guns.
Addressing a press conference on Monday, BJP’s national vice president Dilip Ghosh alleged that he and other party workers were attacked on the campaign trail by TMC cadre.
Ghosh said he was distributing leaflets in Bhabanipur when TMC workers started raising slogans against the BJP. “Then I entered a vaccination centre. They gheraoed me. That attacked me. Started beating up our workers,” he said, adding that the same happened with BJP MP Arjun Singh.
Videos that have emerged from BJP’s Bhabanipur campaign show Dilip Ghosh being surrounded by protesters chanting slogans while his security personnel struggle to protect him.
His security personnel are then seen pulling out their guns while protecting Dilip Ghosh. In one of the videos, at least two security officers are seen pointing their guns in the air to disperse the crowd even as they struggle to secure Dilip Ghosh.
Talking to the local media, Dilip Ghosh later said that he was kicked and punched by the alleged TMC workers. On the other hand, TMC leader Madan Mitra spoke to a local channel and said that he received information that Dilip Ghosh and other leaders were entering the residences of Bhabanipur voters and threatening them.
The incident happened when Dilip Ghosh went inside a vaccination camp in Jodubabur Bazaar area in the constituency.
In a tweet, the TMC alleged that Ghosh’s bodyguard had brandished firearms to scare away the people.
“@BJP4Bengal HITS A NEW LOW! How DARE a gun be aimed at (the) public in broad daylight? Do people not have the right to protest against leaders they do not support? Such blatant violation of human rights is shameful! This compromises the safety and security of people in Bhabanipur!” the party tweeted.
