Union Minister Nisith Pramanik’s convoy attacked in Bengal, TMC denies charge

The attack came within a week after TMC's daylong sit-in near the residence of Pramanik, the union minister of state for home, at Bhetaguri in Cooch Behar, seeking justice for an "innocent Rajbanshi youth who was branded

The convoy of Union Minister Nisith Pramanik was attacked on Saturday allegedly by Trinamool Congress supporters in Dinhata area of West Bengal's Cooch Behar district.

The ruling TMC dubbed the allegation as "baseless".

The attack came within a week after TMC's daylong sit-in near the residence of Pramanik, the union minister of state for home, at Bhetaguri in Cooch Behar, seeking justice for an "innocent Rajbanshi youth who was branded as cattle smuggler and shot dead by the BSF".

"My convoy was not only pelted with stones but also shots were fired. Bombs were also hurled. The entire incident happened in front of the police, and they were just mute spectators," Pramanik claimed.

The minister's convoy was attacked when he was on his way to meet party workers at a programme.

When contacted, the union minister told PTI that several BJP activists were injured in the attack.

TMC supporters showed black flags to him, following which clashes broke out between supporters of the two parties.

Tv grabs showed activists of both parties clashing, with police resorting to baton charges to control the situation.

BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar said, "if a central minister's car is attacked in this manner, this only proves the dismal (law and order) situation of the state".

BJP spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said the governor should take note of the attack on the central minister's convoy and initiate steps for the imposition of Article 355 in the state.

Responding to the allegation, TMC state general secretary Kunal Ghosh accused the Bengal BJP leadership of "instigating" its workers to disrupt the "peaceful" atmosphere of the state.

"The BJP workers ransacked the TMC party office in Dinhata and attacked our workers. The people in that area are angry over the BSF's killing of a Rajbanshi youth last year. Pramanik is a minister of that department," he said.

Notably, Pramanik's convoy was attacked in November last year in the Sitai area of Cooch Behar, and at that time, the BJP had alleged that "goons associated with the TMC were involved" in the incident.

The ruling party dubbed the charge as "baseless" at that time.

The police, too, had denied any such incident in the north Bengal district bordering Bangladesh.