PM Lacked Courtesy To Enquire About Mamata Banerjee: Trinamool Leader

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Thursday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah "lacked the courtesy" to enquire about the health condition of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who sustained injuries in Nandigram during a poll campaign the day before.

Party's Secretary General Partha Chatterjee said that it would have taken a few minutes for the two BJP leaders to call up and find out about the TMC supremo's wellbeing, but none of them made an effort.

Stressing that the Election Commission should "take note" of the security lapse and "attack on Banerjee", veteran TMC MP Sougata Roy said some BJP leaders had shared provocative posts and memes on social media about the Chief Minister, prior to her Nandigram visit.

Referring to PM Modi's assertion that "Didi's scooty is destined to fall in Nandigram" during his recent Brigade rally here, Mr Roy said, "Such comments show how crude, crass and tasteless they (BJP leaders) are."

"The comment takes a whole different meaning now. The PM shouldn't have said such things," the Lok Sabha MP said.

Alluding to Ms Banerjee's e-scooter ride from her residence to Nabanna and back as a mark of protest against the fuel hike, the Prime Minister had said that her two-wheeler will topple in Nandigram, where she has crossed swords with her former aide and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari.

Mr Chatterjee further said the party has asked activists and supporters across the state to exercise restraint and not organise protests against the attack carried out on Ms Banerjee as that would inconvenience people.

Hundreds of TMC supporters took out rallies, blocked roads and raised anti-BJP slogans in various parts of the state on Thursday against the alleged attack on the Chief Minister.

A fight had broken out during the day between the members of the two parties at Birulia Bazaar in Nandigram, where the TMC boss had fell and suffered injuries on her left leg and waist.