Kolkata:
The Trinamool Congress has denied allegations that its party workers today cut the left ear of a panchayat worker in Murshidabad district of West Bengal for not reporting to work yesterday, the first day of the two-day Bharat bandh called by major trade unions.
But the man, Hazrat Omar, who was rushed to a Behrampore hospital has squarely blamed Mamata Banerjee's party. A bandage wrapped around his head and covering his left ear, Mr Omar was quoted by IANS as saying, "I was sitting in the office when some Trinamool goons came and asked why I was absent from office yesterday. Before I could reply, they attacked me with a knife and cut a portion of my left ear." He also said that he would file a police complaint as soon as he left hospital.
Trinamool Congress MP Derek O'Brien tweeted, "In this age of 24/7 media, rumours go wild. Nobody's ear was cut, no TMC workers attacked anybody. Can our rivals desist from dirty tricks," party MP. Mr O'Brien said the man had been "roughed up" by locals. "Nothing to do with TMC," he added.
Mamata Banerjee, who is also the chief minister of the state, has emphatically said that the bandh must not be successful in West Bengal. She has also announced no work, no pay for these two days.
There have been other reports of brutality against people who have not reported to work in West Bengal during the bandh. A headmaster was allegedly heckled by TMC workers till he feel unconscious; he had not opened his school in Hariharpara, also in Murshidabad district.
Congress MP from Berhampore, Adhir Chowdhury, slammed the Trinamool saying, "The Trinamool Congress has vowed to keep strikers at bay and this is what they are doing. Trinamool is now a party of goons who have gone out of control," he said.
The Left too has criticised the ruling party; CPM leader Sitaram Yechury said, "This can only be described as fascism."