Bharatiya Janata Party president J P Nadda's convoy was Wednesday attacked by alleged Trinamool Congress supporters in West Bengal, provoking an angry assault by the saffron party leader who alleged the state has slipped into "complete lawlessness and goonda raj".
Nadda's convoy came under attack when he was on way to Diamond Harbour to address a meeting of party workers, resulting in injury to several leaders including saffron party general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, party sources and eyewitnesses said.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's nephew Abhishek Banerjee represents Diamond Harbour in the Lok Sabha.
Nadda, however, escaped unharmed.
"What I witnessed today is shocking and unprecedented. West Bengal has become a state characterised by utter lawlessness and intolerance. The administration has completely failed and goonda raj prevails," he later told a meeting of party workers.
Nadda said he was not hurt as he was travelling in a bullet proof car, but others in the convoy were assaulted. When such a thing can happen to senior leaders of the BJP, the plight of common party cadres can be easily imagined, he said.
"If I have reached here for the meeting it is due to Maa Durga's grace... I can imagine how difficult it is for common party workers in Bengal," he said.
Nadda asserted the days of the TMC government are numbered.
"We have to defeat this goonda raj and we will," he said, adding "the state has reached a new low under the misrule of the TMC government".
Without naming Abhishek Banerjee, Nadda referred to him and said it is a matter of shame for democracy that the present MP of Diamond Harbour is not seen in his constituency.
Vijayvargiya's car was ransacked and he also received injuries.
Vehicles occupied by media, too, were not spared.
"When we were on our way to Diamond Harbour, TMC supporters blocked the road and pelted Naddaji's vehicle and other cars in the convoy with stones. This only shows the true colour of the TMC," said Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh.
Ghosh said his car too was ransacked and security personnel were beaten up.
Vehicles of BJP national joint general secretary (organisation) Shiv Prakash and secretary Anupam Hazra were also damaged. Hazra too received injuries in the melee.
"Does rule of law exist in Bengal at all? The convoy of our national president is being attacked. Our party cadres and leaders are injured. This is unprecedented in democracy," Vijayvargiya said.
"The party will end this jungle raj in West Bengal. Is this a sign of democracy? The TMC government should be ashamed for letting loose such anarchy," Ghosh said.
The situation was brought under control after the police intervened and cleared the road for the convoy to pass.