Union home minister Amit Shah condemned the attack on Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief JP Nadda’s convoy, when it was on its way to Diamond Harbour area in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district from Kolkata on Thursday.
“Today, the National President of BJP in Bengal @JPNadda was attacked. The attack is condemnable. The central government is taking this attack very seriously. The Bengal government will have to answer to the peace loving people of the state for this sponsored violence,” he wrote on Twitter.
Shah added that the state had gone into an era of tyranny under the Trinamool Congress’ rule and democratic values were being threatened in the state.
“Bengal has gone into an era of tyranny, anarchy and darkness under the Trinamool rule. The manner in which political violence has been institutionalized and brought to the extreme within West Bengal under TMC rule is sad and worrying for all those who believe in democratic values,” he tweeted.
Union minister Piyush Goyal also condemned the attack and called it “deplorable”, adding that it was carried out in an attempt to suffocate democracy.
“It was a deplorable incident. There were clear signals emanating from the establishment that they are uncomfortable with the growing popularity of the BJP. Attempt to muzzle democracy in West Bengal,” he said.
“Strictest of action should be taken against goons who attacks the national president of the BJP. It is not only an attack on Nadda ji, but an attack on the democratic foundation of the country. We condemn the heinous incident of attack on JP Nadda ji,” he said.
Stones were hurled on Nadda’s vehicle and BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya’s car was also completely ransacked, people familiar with the developments told news agency PTI.
“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,” Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh told PTI.
