Congress condemns 'attack' on Abhishek Banerjee, slams BJP's politics of 'vendetta'

New Delhi: The Congress on Saturday strongly condemned the "attack" on TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee in West Bengal's Sonarpur and said the deliberate lack of adequate police protection for a prominent opposition leader speaks volumes about the BJP's politics of "vendetta and persecution".

TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee was roughed up on Saturday allegedly by locals when he visited Sonarpur to meet families of post-poll violence victims, police said.

Stones, shoes and eggs were hurled at the MP by unidentified people, who even attempted to rain blows and kicks on him while shouting "thief, thief".

In a post on X, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said, "Strongly condemn the shocking attack on MP Shri Abhishek Banerjee in Sonarpur, as he went to meet the families affected by post-poll violence in the state." "The deliberate lack of adequate police protection for a prominent Opposition leader speaks volumes about the BJP's politics of vendetta and persecution," the Congress president said.

The Union and West Bengal governments must ensure security for all opposition leaders and take immediate steps to prevent such attacks, Kharge said on X.

Political differences can never justify any kind of violence, he asserted.

Congress general secretary K C Venugopal said the "shocking attack" on Banerjee is highly condemnable and a clear example of "BJP's politics of hate and violence".

"The absence of the WB Police points to a deliberate withdrawal of protection that should always be ensured. Opposition politicians must be allowed to freely conduct their outreach, and violence should never be the recourse in political rivalry," Venugopal said on X.

Congress whip in the Lok Sabha Manickam Tagore also condemned the "attack" on Banerjee and urged Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to intervene in the matter.

"Strongly condemn the shocking attack on MP Shri Abhishek Banerjee in Sonarpur, as he went to meet the families affected by post-poll violence in the state," he said on X.

He urged Birla to ask the Union and West Bengal governments to ensure security for all MPs and take immediate steps to stop such attacks.

Television visuals from the spot showed Banerjee being escorted out of the area wearing a helmet, with his shirt torn during the commotion.

"Look what they have done to me. This was pre-planned. There is no police in the area. They want to kill me. I will not leave this place till police send their force and offer protection to the victims' families," Banerjee said while meeting the kin of a post-poll violence victim.

Local women, holding broomsticks and bamboo sticks, gathered outside the house of the TMC party worker where Banerjee visited. Questioning the purpose of his visit, they raised slogans against the MP.

BJP West Bengal president Samik Bhattacharya said the incident could be the outcome of the anger of locals who were "tortured" over the years.