Thursday, December 10, we left in a convoy from the Westin Hotel to Radio Station Ground Diamond Harbour. There were 3 programs of BJP West Bengal for our National President Shri Jaggat Prakash Nadda.
Late previous night, I got a WhatsApp message identifying 6 spots where the TMC had planned to attack the convoy. One of our senior colleagues tried to speak to the Chief Secretary, Home Secretary and the State Security Advisor, but none took the call.
When the convoy approached the ‘war zone,’ one noticed a huge deployment of State Police, including RAF. The size and location of deployment made it clear that the police had the required intel. Soon it became clear to us that this deployment was only ornamental, as the entire police force stood like mute spectators behind the miscreants who were all on the road. In fact, there were platforms erected at different spots encroaching the road, from where the TMC MLAs were giving instructions. They were doing this in the open, not behind any cover. The person in charge was MLA of Canning Purba, Saukat Mollah, along with 3 other MLAs.
We suddenly started getting messages, phone calls from the cars ahead of us that they were under massive attack, consisting of brickbats, iron rods, or any projectile these goons could lay their hands on.
Cars in which Shri Kailash Vijayvargiya, National General Secretary and Observer for West Bengal, Shri Mukul Roy National Vice President and 7 others were there had their windscreen and windows smashed. Kailash Ji was hit by a brick on his left elbow, fortunately, escaped getting hit on his face. His driver had a full-size brick hurled at him from the front of the car which landed on his right shoulder, Mukul da fractured his finger, 8 other karyakartas were hospitalised, countless cars and motor-bikes were smashed; the list goes on and on.
There were 3 of us in one car, Swapan Dasgupta MP, Samik Bhattacharya former MLA, and myself along with our driver. Minutes before entering the ‘war zone,’ my sixth sense made me tell the driver to ensure the car is centrally locked. Soon after that our car stopped and we heard 3 clicks in quick succession. They tried to open the doors of our car to drag us out. Had they been successful in their attempt, I shudder to think what would have happened. We had a very narrow escape.
By god’s grace, we managed to reach the grounds in one piece. On our arrival, I found the following statement issued by the West Bengal Police through their official Twitter handle:
Message 1 – Shri JP Nadda, National President, BJP reached safely at the venue, Diamond Harbour, South 24 pgs. Nothing happened to his convoy. Few bystanders at Debipur, Falta PS, Diamond Harbour PD, sporadically and suddenly threw stones towards vehicles long behind his convoy 1/2
Message 2 – Everyone is safe and the situation is peaceful. The matter is being investigated to find out actual happenings 2/2
Coming under the attack of the TMC goons did not surprise us but what shocked us was the statement of West Bengal Police which used words like reached safely, nothing happened, the situation is peaceful. Wondering if this was termed peaceful by the State Police, what would they call the term as ‘violent’ – bomb attack?
Few of the senior TMC leaders questioned why Nadda Ji went to Bhabanipur the previous day and Diamond Harbour, as these are the constituencies of Mamata Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee, respectively.
Seems the TMC party is completely rattled and has stooped to violence in every which way.
(This article is written by Shishir Bajoria. He is a West Bengal BJP leader, Core Committee Member, Videsh Vibhag BJP)