Trinamul national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Wednesday said he would have shot at those attacking cops had he been in the place of ACP Debjit Chatterjee, who was allegedly attacked by BJP workers during their Nabanna march on Tuesday.
Abhishek, who met the ACP at SSKM Hospital on Wednesday evening, went all guns blazing at the BJP for unleashing “goons” allegedly armed with petrol bombs, iron rods and other weapons to resort to violence in the name of a protest march.
Taking a cue from chief minister Mamata Banerjee, he praised police for restraint when the ACP was attacked.
Abhishek “I told Debjitbabu (Chatterjee) that I salute him for his patience that led him not to do anything harsh (during the attack on him). If I was in his place and goons were torching police vehicles or attacking them (the force) in front of me, I would have shot them at their heads,” Abhishek told the media.
Television footage showed Chatterjee being chased by some people till he tripped and fell. He was kicked and hit with lathis before being rescued by colleagues in plainclothes. His hand was fractured and he sustained multiple injuries.
Abhishek lavishly praised the state police for their “sheer patience and endurance”.
Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar, who called up the ACP to enquire after his health, also mocked Abhishek’s firing statement. He said the Trinamul leader wants a “trigger-happy police force”.
After the visit to the hospital, Abhishek said: “I wished him (ACP Chatterjee) a speedy recovery and met his family members. I salute all the officers of the police force like him for the manner in which they conducted themselves, for showing sheer patience and endurance... They remained in the ambit of the Constitution. It is because of their efforts that Kolkata remains the safest city in our country.”
“People ask what development has taken place in Bengal? This is the development that has taken place. Instead of firing on protesters, Bengal police tried to control the situation and maintain law and order with patience and resilience. This is the development that has taken place in Bengal under Trinamul Congress,” he said.
The BJP was quick to go on an offensive after Abhishek’s comment on firing..
“He (Abhishek) is trying to gift the people of Bengal a trigger-happy police force.... He is probably not happy with how the police are functioning in Bengal now,” said BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar.
Abhishek’s comment and the BJP's counter made it clear that combative politics is likely to prevail in the state for some time though the day began on sensitive note.
Before Abhishek met the ACP at SSKM hospital, BJP’s Majumdar spoke with the cop over the phone. “I interacted with the police officer over the phone on his health. He told me that he was not well. We hope his wounds heal soon. We wish a speedy recovery to all cops who were injured,” said Majumdar.
Calcutta mayor and minister Firhad Hakim also went to a private hospital in Burtola, Calcutta, to meet BJP councillor Meena Devi Purohit, who was injured on Tuesday.
Hakim, however, did not offer any political comment after visiting the hospital and claimed his was a courtesy call.
“She is a councillor of a ward and my colleague in the corporation. So, it was a courtesy to meet her as she got injured yesterday (Tuesday),” said Hakim.
BJP leaders, including Majumdar, also met Purohit at the hospital after Hakim.
