Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal today posted a tweet hailing Mamata Banerjee as ‘Jhansi Ki Rani’, even as Congress leaders in the state face the ire of the TMC goons following their party’s victory in the recently concluded assembly elections.
“A courageous grassroots leader, a modern Jhansi Ki Rani, has proven that no matter what the odds, Goliaths can be humbled,” Kapil Sibal tweeted.
A courageous grassroots leader , a modern Jhansi ki Rani , has proven that no matter what the odds , Goliaths can be humbled
— Kapil Sibal (@KapilSibal) May 4, 2021
Sibal’s tweet lavishing praises on Mamata Banerjee comes at a time when his own party members have been at the receiving end of the violence inflicted by the TMC goons.
Other Congress leaders too could not help themselves from celebrating Mamata Banerjee’s victory in West Bengal even though Congress drew a blank in the state elections and its workers face violence from the supporters of the victorious TMC. Another senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor took to Twitter to herald Mamata Banerjee’s re-election as the decisive win to the “idea of India”.
Bengal is a decisive win for the”idea of India”, an inclusive, pluralist India where your religion or region don’t matter. It shows BJP’s electoral juggernaut is not invincible. And it reasserts the value of a federal India where States resist the overweening power of the Centre.
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) May 2, 2021
When the reports started trickling down that Bengal is in the grips of political violence as TMC goons are running amok, indiscriminately attacking their political opponents, Shashi Tharoor posted a tweet acknowledging the issue. However, while doing so, he continued to hold Mamata Banerjee in high regard, alleging that she would not condone the violence and one can “count” on her to take necessary action to stop it.
“The reports of violence by @AITCofficial workers against members& supporters of losing parties in Bengal are disturbing. I am sure this cannot be condoned by @MamataOfficial & count on her to take prompt& decisive action to stop this. The people’s mandate shouldn’t be undermined!” Tharoor tweeted.
The reports of violence by @AITCofficial workers against members& supporters of losing parties in Bengal are disturbing. I am sure this cannot be condoned by @MamataOfficial & count on her to take prompt& decisive action to stop this. The people’s mandate shouldn’t be undermined!
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) May 4, 2021
Congress workers attacked by TMC goons following the election result declaration
Sourav Prosad, President of NSUI West Bengal, recently posted a tweet alleging that NSUI activists were attacked by the TMC goons following their party’s victory in the state elections. He also shared pictures of vandalism carried out by the TMC goons in the house of an NSUI activist Mir Sahin.
“Political Violence of Mamata Banerjee. Our Chhatra Parishad activists Mir Sahin attacked by TMC goons, they assault & beaten his family very badly (Children to Women), vandalised everything in his home. In which jungle raj we are living under the regime of Mamata Banerjee?” Prosad tweeted.
Political Violence of Mamata Banerjee.
— Sourav Prosad (@SouravProsad1) May 3, 2021
Our Chhatra Parishad activists Mir Sahin attacked by TMC goons, they assaults & beaten his family very badly (Children to Women), vandalised everything in his home.
In which jungle raj we are living under the regime of Mamata Banerjee?
1/2 pic.twitter.com/nRr6cf8KVP
However, attacks on Congress workers and activists did not deter Kapil Sibal from posting a flattering tweet congratulating Mamata Banerjee on her recent victory. It is also pertinent to note that Congress suffered an embarrassing defeat in the state, winning zero out of the 292 assembly seats.
Bengal engulfed in violence as TMC goons go on a rampage against their political opponents
Soon after the trends hinted a possible TMC sweep, the goons of the ruling dispensation unleashed violence against their political opponents. While the TMC had secured 213 seats, the BJP managed to win 77 constituencies. Multiple incidents of violence inflicted by TMC goons from several places across the state have been reported.
West Bengal is in throes of rampant political violence. Opposition political leaders and their supporters, including Congress workers, are being subjected to attacks and torture following the victory of Mamata Banerjee-led TMC in the recently concluded state assembly polls.
On Sunday (May 2), a BJP worker named Avijit Sarkar took to Facebook to narrate the harrowing tale of violence that he was subjected to by the TMC goons. The video was uploaded just hours before he was lynched to death by the miscreants. “I don’t know how to come live (on Facebook). They hurled bombs right in front of my eyes and vandalised my house and the party office. My only mistake is that I am a BJP worker.,” he recounted. Opindia has learnt that Avijit Sarkar was beaten to death after uploading the two testimonials on Facebook.
On Monday (May 3), News18 journalist Payal Mehta had shared the CCTV footage of another deadly attack unleashed by the TMC goons. In visuals caught on camera, the violent mob attacked the house of a BJP worker on Sunday evening in the Kasba locality of South Kolkata. At about 15 seconds into the video, a Trinamool Congress flag could be spotted. The goons initially tried to kick open the door of the house.
The TMC workers also gheraoed a BJP office in Arambagh and attacked it. The office was vandalised and subsequently burnt to the ground.
Another video of women being mercilessly dragged and beaten by TMC goons had gone viral on the social media yesterday.
The BJP has accused that at least six of its workers and supporters have been killed since Sunday and a few hundred party offices and houses of BJP workers vandalised and ransacked across the state as the counting progressed and trends hinted towards TMC victory. In her defence, Banerjee alleged that BJP was using pictures of old riots to claim that they were attacked.