BJP MP Khagen Murmu ‘heckled’ by locals in Bengal’s Nagrakata, suffers injuries

BJP MP Khagen Murmu was injured on Monday, after he and party MLA Sankar Ghosh were allegedly heckled by locals when they visited the flood-affected Nagrakata area in north Bengal’s Jalpaiguri district to take stock of the situation.

Ghosh shared a video on social media of a blood-stained Murmu before being rushed to hospital, claiming that they were pushed and their vehicle was vandalised by locals at Nagrakata area.

PTI could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.

Ghosh, the BJP MLA from Siliguri, said they had to leave the place soon after the incident to take the Malda Uttar MP to hospital.

Murmu was given initial medical aid, and is being taken to Siliguri for further treatment, Ghosh said.

The BJP MLA, who is the party’s chief whip in the assembly, claimed in the video that the locals “kicked and punched us, and thereafter, started throwing stones at us, causing severe injury to Khagen da”.

The two BJP leaders had gone to the flood-affected area to take stock of the situation in the wake of torrential rainfall in several north Bengal districts over the last two days.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had earlier in the day said 23 people have died so far in the north Bengal floods.

Meanwhile, the BJP leadership blamed the ruling Trinamool Congress for the attack, alleging that “TMC’s jungle raj was prevailing in West Bengal”.

BJP’s national in-charge of information and technology department, and co-incharge for West Bengal, Amit Malviya, lashed out at the state government for the “assault” on Murmu.

“Murmu was attacked by TMC goons while on his way to Nagrakata in Jalpaiguri’s Dooars region to help with relief and rescue efforts after devastating rains, floods, and landslides,” Malviya said in a post on X.

“While Mamata Banerjee dances at her Carnival, the TMC and state administration are missing in action. Those actually helping the people, BJP leaders and karyakartas, are being attacked for doing relief work. This is TMC’s Bengal, where cruelty rules and compassion is punished,” he alleged.

Union Minister of State Sukanta Majumdar claimed that Murmu and Ghosh were “brutally attacked in the presence of the Mamata-police”.

“Chief Minister@MamataOfficial, the people of Bengal will never forget this cowardice and shamelessness,” the former state president of BJP wrote on X.

“Failed Chief Minister Smt. Mamata Banerjee, who, even after receiving news yesterday of the catastrophic devastation in North Bengal and the tragic loss of many lives, was seen celebrating on the Carnival stage at Red Road, has clearly shown how fearful she has become of the BJP West Bengal workers and leaders,” Majumdar asserted.

Reacting to the allegations, Udayan Guha, Minister in Charge - North Bengal Development Department, said “whatever happened today is BJP’s own doing”.

“We do not support any form of violence, but at a time when people are affected badly, BJP leaders with a convoy of 10-plus cars went only for photo-ops and without any relief materials,” he alleged.

“Locals got agitated and started the attack. It is the result of BJP’s misdeeds. You deprive people first and later visit there for photo-ops when they are suffering,” Guha said.