The alleged assault of a BJP leader’s college-going son in Malda’s Englishbazar on Thursday night caused a verbal slugfest to erupt on Saturday between Union minister of state for education Sukanta Majumdar and Bengal minister of state for finance and health Chandrima Bhattacharya.
Majumdar, during his visit to Malda district on Saturday, blamed Trinamool councillor Kakali Choudhury, the wife of senior Trinamool leader and former minister Krishnendu Choudhury, for the incident.
He called her a “known goonda” and alleged that the attack on the student reflected the “culture of the Trinamool Congress.”
Sangbid Goswami, a 20-year-old engineering student from Calcutta, was allegedly beaten up by a group of men at ward 8 of the Englishbazar municipality.
His parents, Kajal and Chandrani Goswami — both BJP functionaries — accused Kakali’s associates of orchestrating the assault.
Kajal and Chandrani lodged an FIR naming her and several unidentified persons responsible for their son’s assault.
“My son was targeted because we have been working to strengthen the BJP’s organisation in ward 10, which is Krishnendu Choudhury’s bastion. It was clearly a political attack,” Kajal Goswami, a schoolteacher and BJP leader, alleged.
Kajal alleged that he was also threatened when he tried to rescue his son.
Kakali Choudhury, the councillor in question, denied the allegations, saying the incident had “no political connection.”
“Some youths were smoking cannabis near a municipal health centre. When residents protested, a scuffle ensued. I rescued the youth and brought him to my ward office. The complainant is trying to malign me,” she said.
Her husband, Krishnendu Choudhury, also dismissed the charges, accusing Majumdar of endorsing “false allegations made by a corrupt BJP worker.”
“A police inquiry will bring out the truth. My wife and I are ready to face any probe,” he said.
Reacting sharply to Majumdar’s remarks, Trinamool leader and Bengal minister Chandrima Bhattacharya said: “He (Majumdar) is a university teacher but speaks childishly. It seems he has not matured enough to make responsible statements.”
Bhattacharya added: “Kakali has already explained the incident. We never shield offenders in Trinamool, unlike the BJP.”