Kolkata, March 14 Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally in Kolkata on Saturday, allegations have surfaced regarding stones being hurled at the residence of West Bengal Minister Shashi Panja in north Kolkata's Girish Park area.
Trinamool workers claimed that BJP activists committed these acts while en route to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally at the Brigade Parade Ground. The state minister alleged that she, too, was attacked during the incident.
The BJP has issued a counter-allegation, claiming that Trinamool workers threw bricks at their activists as they were marching through Girish Park.
They further alleged that the police remained inactive during the altercation.
Several individuals, including Bappaditya Naskar, the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Bowbazar Police Station, sustained injuries in the incident. One injured BJP worker has been admitted to a hospital.
It may be noted that Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to address a rally at the Brigade Parade Ground on Saturday afternoon.
A section of Trinamool workers in Girish Park stated that while heading to attend this rally, a group of BJP activists threw stones at Shashi Panja's residence.
Shashi Panja said, "BJP goons are responsible for this. The buses heading to the Brigade today are carrying bricks, glass bottles, and bombs. They are travelling to the Brigade, accompanied by goons from outside the area. They launched an attack on my home located on Girish Park Main Road. I was attacked, and I have kept photographs of those who carried out the attack."
She stated that posters bearing the slogan "Boycott BJP" were displayed in the vicinity of her residence in Girish Park. As BJP workers were passing through the area, they disembarked from their bus and tore down these posters, after which they re-boarded the vehicle.
Subsequently, according to allegations, when Trinamool workers attempted to put the posters back up, the BJP workers once again stepped off the bus and began physically assaulting them.
Shashi Panja further said that, during this altercation, stones were also hurled at her home, resulting in shattered windowpanes. "These people are capable of committing murder. They are thugs. Democracy itself has been murdered. Just look at their audacity!"
The BJP, however, has alleged that it was Trinamool workers who hurled bricks at their bus. Several BJP workers sustained injuries during the incident, including Tamoghna Ghosh, the BJP President for North Kolkata Organisational District. He is currently hospitalised.
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