"Result of public outrage": BJP's Arjun Singh denies ruling party's role in attack on Abhishek Banerjee

North 24 Parganas (West Bengal) [India], May 31 : BJP MLA Arjun Singh took a swipe at Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, claiming that people greeted him with chants of "thief-thief" during his recent visit to Sonapur in South 24 Parganas district. He also denied allegations that BJP leaders were involved in the attack on Banerjee's convoy.
Singh alleged that Banerjee was responsible for forcing thousands of people to flee West Bengal and dismissed the TMC's claims regarding the BJP's involvement in the incident as "false".
Eggs and stones were allegedly hurled during the attack. Singh described the incident as an expression of "public anger".
"Abhishek Banerjee, who forced thousands of people to flee Bengal, was welcomed by the public with chants of 'thief-thief'. The allegations they are making against the BJP regarding involvement in the attack are false," Singh told reporters here.
He further added that "the incident was a result of public outrage".
Earlier, West Bengal Minister Agnimitra Paul on Saturday said that the alleged attack on Abhishek Banerjee could be a reaction to the "fifteen years of police brutality" of the previous government and held the latter responsible for such a situation.
The BJP leader clarified that the BJP had "no hand" in the attack after the TMC pointed fingers towards the ruling party in the state.
"What happened to him is wrong. We have repeatedly told people not to take the law into their own hands. But Abhishek Banerjee is responsible for what happened today. On one side, there were fifteen years of police brutality, and on the other, there was Jahangir Sheikh Shahjahan. Abhishek Banerjee's arrogance; he said that after the 4th, DJ would be played. You have abused the Prime Minister, the Home Minister, and the President," she told ANI.
This came after former West Bengal CM and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee on Saturday accused the ruling BJP of allegedly threatening hospitals not to admit her nephew Abhishek Banerjee, who had gone to meet families affected by post-poll violence in Sonarpur of South 24 Parganas district.
Speaking with the media after visiting Banerjee in the hospital, the TMC supremo alleged that "those in power" do not want him to recieve medical treatment. She claimed that the hospital administration complained of receiving "threat calls" from police.
"Those who are in power are threatening all the hospitals and the maximum authorities not to admit Abhishek Banerjee because they don't want him to be treated. When I was sitting with the hospital administrator, he told me that he was getting threat calls from the police. Doctors are sad, but they are pressured," she alleged.
Abhishek was taken to Belle Vue Hospital in Kolkata after he was allegedly attacked earlier. He alleged that the attack was "BJP-sponsored" and claimed there was an attempt to kill him, while the ruling party condemned the incident and appealed for peace.