A damaged vehicle after TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee’s convoy was allegedly attacked by members of the Kurmi community at Gar Salboni in Jhagram on May 26, 2023. , Photo Credit: PTI
Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee’s convoy was attacked by members of the Kurmi community at Salboni in Paschim Medinipur district of West Bengal on Friday.
The vehicle in which Mr Banerjee was traveling narrowly escaped the wrath of the Kurmi community, other vehicles in the convoy, including those of state minister Birbaha Hansda, came under attack.
Members of the community, who gathered along the State Highway 5, allegedly pelted stones at vehicles and attacked Trinamool Congress supporters who came on motorcycles. Several vehicles were destroyed and some police personnel were injured.
“This is not a fight for any particular community. What happened today has nothing to do with the demand of one community. This is hooliganism and we condemn it,” said Jhargram MLA Ms. Hansda, who is a member of the Scheduled Caste community.
A few days back, there was a protest by Kurmis at Simlipal in the state’s Bankura district when Abhishek Banerjee was participating in his party’s outreach programme. Mr Banerjee spoke to members of the community to defuse the tension.
The Kurmis of the state’s Jangalmahal region have been protesting for the past few months demanding Scheduled Tribe status. In the second week of April this year, community members organized road and railway blockades for five days in the Jangalmahal region of the state.
“Kurmis are Khalistani”
Earlier this month, Trinamool Congress leader Ajit Maity came under severe criticism for calling Kurmis “Khalistani”. Trinamool’s top brass, including Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, had apologized for the party leader’s remarks.
Dilip Ghosh, a senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and former president of the party’s West Bengal unit, also faced the wrath of community members. Mr. Ghosh’s comment that he “helped the Kurmi movement by sending rice and pulses” angered members of the community.
Members of the Kurmi community demanded an apology from Mr Ghosh and staged a protest near his residence at Kharagpur in West Medinipur district. State BJP president Sukanta Majumdar had to apologize for Mr Ghosh’s remarks.
“Today, what happened has nothing to do with the demand of one community”Birbaha HansdaMinister of State for Forests and Self Help and Self Employment Groups (Independent Charge)