BJP Men Attacks WB Congress Head Office in Kolkata

Kolkata: A group of BJP workers attacked the West Bengal Congress head office, Bidhan Bhavan, here on Friday to protest the verbal abuses in the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at leader of the opposition, Rahul Gandhi's rally in Bihar.

While Trinamul Congress and CPI(M) joined the Congress in condemning the attack, six BJP workers were arrested by the police. In the afternoon, around 50 BJP workers led by Rakesh Singh, carrying their party flags, turned up at Bidhan Bhavan on Dr Lal Mohan Bhattacharya Road in Entally.

Singh, who was earlier expelled from the Congress, was seen painting Gandhi’s photos in black in the hoardings and banners on the wall at the entrance. The BJP workers forcibly removed and torched them before storming the building premises while shouting slogans with their party flags.

Later, state Congress chief Subhankar Sarkar held a protest with his party workers and blocked the CIT Road. He demanded Singh’s arrest and said, “Congress will not tolerate this. We know how to counter the BJP. A protest rally will be held in Kolkata tomorrow.”

His predecessor and former MP Adhir Choudhury also echoed him as Congress workers held protests at Berhampore and Raghunathganj in Murshidabad. TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said, “There is a political difference between Congress and BJP. But that does not mean the Congress office should be attacked. We condemn it.”

CPM state secretary Mohammed Salim said, “It was beyond imagination in Bengal earlier. Where do the BJP hooligans get so much power from?” BJP leader Keya Ghosh, however, said, “Our party does not endorse the culture of violence but how can one control spontaneous outburst?”