TMC's Abhishek Banerjee accuses BJP workers of torching athlete-politician Swapna Barman's house

Kolkata: Senior Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee on Saturday accused BJP workers of torching the house of Asian Games gold medal-winning athlete Swapna Barman, who is also a party leader, as part of post-poll retribution violence in West Bengal.

Taking to X, Banerjee alleged that Barman was targeted by "BJP goons" because she joined the TMC and fought the recently concluded state polls on the party's ticket.

"An athlete who brought glory to the nation is being repaid with violence, intimidation and fear -- simply because she chose to stand with the Trinamool Congress," he wrote.

The post from the TMC's general secretary -- stating "India FAILED YOU, dear Swapna" -- came a day after an exasperated Barman took to social media to state that "joining politics was a mistake", in the aftermath of the alleged arson at her Kaliaganj home in Uttar Dinajpur district.

On Friday, Barman had alleged that a property owned by her, built of corrugated tin and located next to the house she currently resides in, was set on fire by unidentified miscreants. The affected property was inhabited by a brother of the athlete who, she alleged, was receiving death threats from "unidentified goons" in the aftermath of the May 4 declaration of assembly poll results.

Barman said she too was threatened with "dire consequences, including rape".

"Had I known this would happen, I would have never joined politics. Today they set my house on fire," she later posted on her social media page.

Banerjee, in his post on X, launched a scathing attack on the BJP, accusing the party of perpetrating the violence.

"THIS is the grim reality under @BJP4India's watch. THIS is the 'Parivartan' they promised," Banerjee said.

"The @BJP4India govt must answer. This CANNOT become the new normal. If supporting the Trinamool Congress now means risking your safety, your family and even your home, WHERE ARE WE HEADED, AS A NATION? If this is how an athlete who brought glory to India is treated for her political choices, the state of democracy should worry EVERY Indian," he added.

The district police, while confirming the blaze and stating it was doused by the firefighting personnel, said they have launched a probe into the incident.

Barman won the historic gold medal in the women's heptathlon at the 2018 Asian Games held in Jakarta, Indonesia and created history by becoming the first Indian heptathlete to achieve this milestone.

She joined the TMC on February 27 this year and contested the assembly elections from Rajganj in Jalpaiguri district, but was humbled by BJP's Dinesh Sarkar with a margin of over 21,000 votes.

The Rajbanshi athlete, a former employee of the North Frontier Railway in the Alipurduar division, was dismissed from service for flouting government service rules, which prohibit employees from political involvement, after it was found that she joined the TMC, without officially resigning first.

"Those who stuck to me before the elections, supported me and rooted for my victory, flipped overnight after my party and I lost and moved to the other camp," she alleged.

State minister Dilip Ghosh said Barman must lose the "dishonest company" she currently keeps.

"She is a respected athlete and should stay out of politics. She should especially avoid the company of those who are the worst representations of this world because it doesn't suit her stature. She should stand for her country with dignity and the BJP will be standing by her," Ghosh said.