"Faced Atrocities": Congress Leader Adhir Chowdhury Writes To Mamata Banerjee

Congress Parliamentary Party leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Chowdhury on Saturday sent a letter to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleging he was attacked by ruling Trinamool Congress activists during his visit to Raninagar area of Murshidabad district.

Reports said the WBPCC president was shown black flags during his visit to the area on September 3 to meet his party activists who were allegedly attacked by Trinamool on Thursday and three of their houses vandalised during a clash.

In his letter to Ms Banerjee, Mr Chowdhury said that atrocities were committed by ruling party's cadres on Congress supporters in Raninagar-II block in Murshidabad district. "It is a blatant misuse of power and democratic rights of innocent people residing over there. On hearing news of (the) incident, I personally visited that area and faced atrocities myself."

Mr Chowdhury, who had two days ago flagged the issue of alleged attack on his party members in Murshidabad including the Raninagar incident, said in the letter, "I have already intimated you about the matter and once again plead to pass a necessary instruction to the local police and administration to prevent any further atrocity of this kind."

If there is this "kind of situation" it is a "discredit" to the chief minister's post, he said.

Mr Chowdhury said, "I would specifically like to point out that the local administration had completely failed to bring the situation to normalcy. I hope you will surely see the matter seriously and a hasty action is taken to prevent loss of life and property of innocent people."

Several houses were vandalised and property looted in a clash between Congress and TMC activists at Raninagar in the district on Thursday.

Mr Chowdhury had earlier alleged that TMC activists had carried out attacks on Congress supporters in the area without any provocation, beat up three local party men and vandalised and looted their houses and properties.

When Adhir Chowdhury went to the spot there was demonstration before his convoy and black flags were waved at him.

The local Trinamool leadership said the clash was a fallout between two Congress factions in the area and the party was not involved.

They alleged that Adhir Chowdhury visited the spot to instigate trouble and local people were against the reign of terror let loose by Congress in the area.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)