Everyone is safe, says West Bengal police; attack on JP Nadda was staged, claims Mamata Banerjee

KOLKATA: The West Bengal Police on Thursday said that everyone is safe and the situation is peaceful across the state while assuring that the alleged attack on BJP chief JP Nadda’s convoy will be thoroughly investigated.

“Everyone is safe and the situation is peaceful. The matter is being investigated to find out actual happenings,” the West Bengal Police said.

“BJP national president JP Nadda reached safely at venue, Diamond Harbour, South 24 Parganas. Nothing happened to his convoy. Few bystanders at Debipur, Falta PS, Diamond Harbour PD, sporadically and suddenly threw stones towards vehicles trailing long behind his convoy,” the Bengal police added.

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 trailing long behind his convoy. 1/2 — West Bengal Police (@WBPolice) December 10, 2020

Everyone is safe and situation is peaceful. Matter is being investigated to find out actual happenings. 2/2 — West Bengal Police (@WBPolice) December 10, 2020

Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Thursday alleged the attack on Nadda was staged.

"Every day they (BJP activists) are coming out (for rallies) with firearms. They are slapping themselves and blaming it on the Trinamool Congress. Just think of the situation. They are roaming around with the BSF, CRPF, Army, CISF....Then why are you so scared," Banerjee said in Kolkata.

#WATCH They (BJP) has no other work. At times Home Minister is here, other times its Chaddha, Nadda, Fadda, Bhaddha is here. When they've no audience, they call their workers for doing Nautanki: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee addressing a public rally in Kolkata pic.twitter.com/uXrIyhdrj2 — ANI (@ANI) December 10, 2020

The reactions came after Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday condemned in the strongest term the alleged attack on the convoy of BJP chief JP Nadda in Mamata Banerjee-ruled West Bengal.

Warning the West Bengal Chief Minister over the incident, Shah said there will be serious repercussions of the alleged attack on the BJP chief.

"However much we condemn this incident, it is less. The central government is taking this attack very seriously. The Bengal government will have to answer to the peace-loving people of the state for this sponsored violence," Shah said in a tweet.

"Bengal has descended into an era of tyranny, anarchy and darkness under the Trinamool rule. The manner in which political violence has been institutionalized and brought to the extreme in West Bengal under TMC rule is sad and worrying," Shah said in series of tweets.

Nadda's convoy, which included vehicles of other leaders, was allegedly attacked with stones and bricks, while on the way to Diamond Harbour in South Parganas 24 district on 10 December.

The top BJP leadership too condemned the attack on the party chief JP Nadda by alleged TMC supporters in West Bengal and said it is an attack on democracy and Bengal government will have to answer to people for this sponsored violence.

The party leaders and senior ministers also demanded the strictest possible action against "goons" who carried out the attack.

Deploring the assault on Nadda, senior party leader and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said this attack is a reflection of the declining law and order in the state of West Bengal.

"The attack on the convoy of the BJP national president, should be thoroughly investigated and the responsibility of this incident should be fixed," Singh said in a series of tweets. Union Ministers Narendra Singh Tomar and Piyush Goyal also deplored the attack in a press conference on farm laws dubbed it as an attack on democracy in West Bengal.

"Attack on our national president J P Nadda and senior party leader Kailash Vijayvargiya is a deplorable act. There is a complete breakdown of law and order in West Bengal," Tomar said.

Attacking the TMC-led government in the state for alleged assault on BJP chief, Goyal said it is an attack on democracy and attempts have been made to muzzle democratic processes in the state. He demanded the strictest possible action against the "goons" behind the attack.