A BJP delegation led by leader of Opposition in the Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, allegedly was told to leave when they went to meet the family of a tribal girl in Bankura district’s Taldangra on Wednesday.

The minor had allegedly been molested by four men recently. According to a video clip, when Suvendu and his colleagues reached there to express solidarity with the family, he was told to leave.

On Wednesday night, Trinamul spokesperson and councillor at the CMC, Arup Chakraborty, shared the video clip on his social media handle showing a woman with an infant repeatedly asking Suvendu to leave, opposing any attempt to politicise the issue. Another woman standing beside echoed her.

The Telegraph has not verified the authenticity of the video shared by Chakraborty.

In the clip, Bishnupur MP Saumitra Khan, who had accompanied Suvendu to the minor’s home, tried to convince the two women to speak to the BJP delegation but were curtly told that the family had nothing to say.

“We have heard that two persons have been arrested. We can’t say more. Please leave the way you have come. We will not allow this (incident) to be politicised. There is nothing to be politicised,” one of the two women is heard saying in the video.

The women also added that they had faith in the police and administration and the tribal social outfit.

Suvendu with folded arms is heard saying: “If you need any help, please let us know. We shall offer all help.”

Trinamul leaders claimed that both the women who protested were family members of the minor.

Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, Suvendu claimed that local police officers had been posted at the minor’s house to ensure that they didn’t speak to him and his colleagues. He added that soon the family would become disillusioned with the administration and seek the BJP’s help.

Speaking to The Telegraph on Thursday, Bishnupur MP Khan claimed the woman with the infant was a member of the local Trinamul women’s wing.

“She had been tasked with the job of not allowing the sister of the minor to speak to us. But local leaders of our party are in touch with the tribal social outfit and we will help them whenever they need us,” Khan said.

Not all BJP members, however, bought Khan’s viewpoint.

“Suvendu-da is our silver lining in a faction-ridden party. If he is treated this way by the common people, it is even more disheartening for us,” a BJP leader said.

The leader pointed out that in 2019 the BJP had bagged a large number of tribal votes and wrested the Bankura Lok Sabha seat. However, in 2021 three of the seven Assembly seats in Bankura, including Taldangra, went to Trinamul.