BJP's silence in West Bengal proves costly as party president JP Nadda's convoy gets attacked

Rarely there has been an instance in the history of independent India that the President of the ruling party which also happens to be world’s largest political party who also has Z Category security status, see his convoy being attacked with bricks and sticks, and yet fails to grab national media’s attention. BJP President JP Nadda who is currently in West Bengal saw his convoy being allegedly attacked by goons carrying TMC flags which resulted in senior BJP leaders sustaining injuries, however, Nadda was lucky to escape as he was travelling in a bulletproof car.

While the behaviour of West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee post the attack was on expected lines, the BJP’s continual silence on the incessant attacks on its party workers and leaders ever since the party started campaigning for the 2019 LS elections has further emboldened Mamata which has resulted in the attack on JP Nadda’s convoy.

Imagine for a moment, Sonia Gandhi’s convoy being attacked in a BJP ruled state say in Gujarat or UP, a special parliament session would have been called where INC would have demanded that PM Modi himself apologise, New York Times and the ilk would have written a series of articles lamenting about the death of democracy in India, Lutyens’ journalists would have started breaking their bangles at India Gate with Joe Biden also giving a statement condemning the ghastly attack.

However, when BJP President JP Nadda’s convoy was allegedly attacked by goons, the incident became a non-issue within a matter of few hours. In fact, eight BJP workers were admitted to the hospital with senior party leaders like Kailash Vijayvargiya and Mukul Roy sustained minor injuries in the attack allegedly by TMC supporters.

So what exactly was the crime of JP Nadda’s convoy? Thinking that since India is a democratic country, free movement will be allowed in West Bengal too. However, that was not the case as how dare they head to Diamond Harbour, the Lok Sabha constituency of Abhishek Banerjee, nephew of West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee.

Nadda addressing the BJP party workers said, “The scenes I saw while coming here show that under Mamata Banerjee anarchy rules in Bengal. We were able to reach here because of the blessings of Ma Durga. It is a state of lawlessness. TMC workers left no stone unturned to try and throttle democracy. This is goonda raj.”

He added, “I had a bulletproof car. But almost all other cars were damaged. Kailash Vijayvargiya has a fracture in his hand. Other leaders’ cars were smashed. Our 50 workers on motorbikes were beaten up and their vehicles snatched. Eight of them are in the hospital.”

Upholding the democratic fabric of India, Nadda, when prodded upon if the Centre would be inclined to impose President’s rule in Bengal especially after the attack, Nadda stated, “(But) we will end the rule of Mamata Banerjee in a democratic way.”

What’s worse is the fact that Mamata Banerjee sought to brazen out the attack as a “small incident” and instead pin the blame on the BJP.

“There was a small incident but I ask why were there 50 cars in the convoy? When we travel, we have just three cars. Why did they go there with a 50-car convoy, apart from 30 press vehicles and 40 motorbikes?” said Mamata.

She then proceeded to hinting that BJP itself planned the attack as she said, “I have told them (the BJP) many times not to interfere with the subject of law and order. But they ignored me. They used central forces for their security. They chose to be escorted by CISF, BSF. Even then how did they face an attack? We had a programme in Sirakol, but we changed our timing. Something happened, and immediately they started to telecast it. Was it planned? I have told the police to carry out a proper inquiry.”

However, Mamata is partly correct. The BJP’s constant silence as Mamata and her goons wrecked havoc on party workers and MLAs has severely emboldened the TMC who now believe they can get away with anything. What’s next? Attack on Amit Shah’s and Narendra Modi’s convoy should they dare to visit West Bengal? It is pertinent to note that earlier in July, BJP MLA Debendra Nath Ray was allegedly murdered and hanged 2.5 km away from his home, and Mamata and her WB Police were allowed to escape scot free.

The persistent attacks can also be seen as a message to the electorate. If the BJP, cannot protect their own, how are they supposed to protect you? West Bengal needs to be freed from Mamata’s rule of anarchy and lawlessness and for that to happen, the BJP in no terms can allow any harm whatsoever to its workers and leaders.