Veteran CPI(M) leader expresses support for Mahua Moitra after egg assault

Kolkata, July 2
Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha Member Mahua Moitra, who faced protests after eggs and cow dung were hurled at her by a mob in the presence of police, has received an unexpected supporter from a veteran leader of the party's arch political rival, CPI(M).

Veteran Marxist leader, former party Rajya Sabha member and senior advocate, Bikas Ranjan Bhattacharya, has issued a social media post condemning the attack on Moitra while reminding that he is airing his voice of protest in the matter despite her being his political rival.

“Mahua Moitra might be my political opponent. But at the end of the day, she is an elected Lok Sabha member. As far as I know, there is no complaint of extortion and corruption against her. The manner in which she was heckled on Wednesday is a matter of shame for a civilised and democratic society. Every person in a civilised society should protest against such barbarity,” Bhattacharya commented in a social media post.

Moitra faced the attack on Wednesday afternoon while she was holding an internal party meeting at a Trinamool office, located adjacent to National Highway 34 in Kaliganj, Nadia district.

While the meeting was taking place, the protesters allegedly assembled in front of the party office and started hurling eggs and cow dung from outside. The protesters were also heard using abusive words about the Lok Sabha member from Krishnanagar constituency.

Thereafter, Mahua started doing a Facebook live from the second floor of the party's office. She also vented her anger against a section of her own party in the live video.

Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress’ general secretary and the party’s Lok Sabha member, Abhishek Banerjee, also made a long social media post condemning the attack on his Parliamentary colleagues.

Banerjee accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of masterminding the attack on Moitra.

However, the state BJP president and Rajya Sabha member, Samik Bhattacharya, has denied the party’s involvement in the incident. “The disgruntled Trinamool Congress workers were behind it,” Bhattacharya said.