Mahua Moitra names 16 BJP workers over mob attack, alleges police inaction

Mahua Moitra names 16 BJP workers over mob attack and 4-hour 'siege', alleges police stood by

NEW DELHI: Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra on Wednesday named 16 people she alleged were behind a mob attack on her in West Bengal's Nadia district, a day after claiming she was confined inside a party office for nearly four hours while police remained "silent spectators. " In a post on X, Moitra tagged the director general of police and West Bengal Police and alleged that the attackers were BJP workers. "Hello @DGPWestBengal @WBPolice, the mob attack on me today was led by these @BJP4India goons (caught on camera, verified): Santosh Ghosh, Hilal Mallick, Mampi Mondal, Monideepa Pramanick, Sumi Mishra, Rathin Pramanick, Ananta Ghosh, Pratik Dhar, Tarun Rajak, Kamalakanto Ghosh, Santu Mondal, Rakesh Ghosh, Rameshwar Biswas, Raja Sardar, Brindaban Ghosh, Hari Das." The alleged attack took place at a Trinamool Congress office in Kaliganj, where Moitra had gone to attend a party workers' meeting. According to the MP, protesters hurled eggs, mud and stones at the building, with one egg striking her. She alleged that the crowd grew larger over four hours while police failed to intervene. "This was unchecked BJP mob violence for over 4 hrs aided by police inside our MLA office. BJP's lynch mob which grew by the minute. Each one of them BJP workers. The numbers grew as police watched silently for 4 hours," Moitra posted on X. Videos shared by the Krishnanagar MP on social media showed protesters outside the office raising slogans and throwing objects toward the building. She was escorted out by police later in the evening. Rejecting allegations of police inaction, Krishnanagar Superintendent of Police Atul V said officers reached the spot after receiving information and repeatedly requested Moitra to leave the premises. According to him, discussions continued between the MP and the police before she exited the office around 6 pm. The BJP denied the allegations, with West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya suggesting the incident stemmed from infighting within the Trinamool Congress. "This egg-throwing must stop, and the TMC leader who is sitting hidden at home needs to step out into the field. TMC is attacking TMC... How can the police identify those who have eggs in their pockets? There is no machine to catch this. Metal detectors don't detect eggs, so let us bring in a new machine... It is ruining Bengal's image," Bhattacharya said. The incident triggered sharp reactions from Trinamool leaders, who accused the police of failing to protect an elected representative. TMC MP Saugata Roy said, "I totally condemn this attack on our fellow parliamentarian and AITC leader Mahua Moitra in Plassey, in her constituency in Nadia. She has informed the DG of police of West Bengal to remove the mob who surrounded her party office. But the police took no action... It's a matter of shame that BJP workers have done this to a lady parliamentarian in her own constituency." Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi also criticised the incident, writing on X, "The kind of encouragement the mobs are getting by the BJP government in West Bengal is shameful. Pelting eggs at a sitting woman Member of Parliament while cops are mute spectators is disgraceful! The law & order is state responsibility and CM Suvendu Adhikari ji must walk the talk. In solidarity with Mahua Moitra." The Trinamool Congress also accused the BJP of orchestrating the attack and alleged that the police and security personnel failed to disperse the crowd. The BJP has rejected the allegations.