On Monday, December 12, West Bengal’s Leader of Opposition and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari said that Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers attacked Hindu devotees during a ‘Rath Yatra’ procession in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas.
The BJP leader, in a thread of tweets, didn’t just share pictures of people injured in the alleged attack, but also accused the West Bengal police. Suvendu Adhikari accused the police of working at the behest of TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, and failing to report the incident at hand. He lashed out at Mamata Banerjee’s leadership’s callousness toward the state’s worsening law and order situation.
According to Adhikari, the Radha Madan Mohan Temple in Betberia, Baruipur, South 24 Parganas, has been hosting Gita Jayanti Mahotsav celebrations for the past 20 years. “Yesterday a 10 day celebration was supposed to be culminated with a Rath Yatra. Goons attacked Sanatani Devotees during the Rath Parikrama,” he said.
Gita Jayanti Mahotsav has been celebrated at the Radha Madan Mohan Temple in Betberia; Baruipur, South 24 Parganas for the past 20 years.
— Suvendu Adhikari • শুভেন্দু অধিকারী (@SuvenduWB) December 12, 2022
Yesterday a 10 day celebration was supposed to be culminated with a Rath Yatra.
“Goons” attacked Sanatani Devotees during the Rath Parikrama. pic.twitter.com/MNvqjJyiML
In his subsequent tweet, Adhikari said that the TMC goons first blocked the roads, then obstructed the Rath, forcefully initiated a scuffle, and then attacked the devotees with iron rods, swords, and lathis.
“The Devotees had no clue about this pre-planned onslaught. Several Sanatanis got heavily injured. Guess what the Administration did?” asked the BJP leader further highlighting the state police’s apathy in handling the situation.
Police refused to register a complaint. TMC MLA met the “Goons” but didn’t bother to meet the Devotees.
— Suvendu Adhikari • শুভেন্দু অধিকারী (@SuvenduWB) December 12, 2022
Mamata Police even lathi-charged to disperse the Devotees when they gathered to protest.
Is the Law & Order situation of WB so bad that Devotees can’t take out a Rath Yatra?
“Police refused to register a complaint. TMC MLA met the “Goons” but didn’t bother to meet the Devotees. Mamata Police even lathi-charged to disperse the Devotees when they gathered to protest. Is the Law & Order situation of WB so bad that Devotees can’t take out a Rath Yatra?” tweeted Adhikari.
Notably, this incident came two days after Sukanta Majumdar, the president of the West Bengal BJP, alleged that TMC activists had attacked his convoy. He alleged that some men brandishing TMC flags attacked his car.
Anti-Hindu attacks in West Bengal
West Bengal has always been a hotbed of communal politics, which has only worsened since TMC led by Mamata Banerjee assumed power. Violent attacks against the Hindu community have been reported from Bengal multiple times over the years.
On October 9, the Hindu community in the Mominpore locality of Kolkata in West Bengal came under attack as they geared up to celebrate the annual Lakshmi Puja.
Sukanta Majumdar, BJP Chief of West Bengal, informed that bikes and shops belonging to Hindus were vandalised by Islamists at Maila Depot in Mominpore. In a video shared by him, bikes and nearby shops could be spotted in a damaged condition.
