BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari mocks Mamata Banerjee’s injury, Trinamool responds

The BJP has demanded an inquiry into claims that Ms Banerjee fell at her residence.

Kolkata:

Senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari sparked a controversy on Friday when she apparently mocked West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over her injury.

The Trinamool Congress said Ms Banerjee suffered an injury on her forehead on Thursday night and had to be hospitalized for several hours.

After getting stitches and undergoing medical tests at the hospital, the TMC chief was deemed stable and discharged, later returning home.

Addressing a rally in Kejuri, West Bengal, Mr Adhikari, without naming anyone, said: “The pressure on the TMC has fallen and is falling. The downfall of the TMC has just started from the top and it will trickle down to the grassroots .” His remarks were strongly condemned by the ruling party TMC, which said it reflected the anti-women mentality of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

West Bengal Women and Child Development Minister Shashi Panja said: “Such remarks against the country’s only woman chief minister reflect the anti-women mentality of the BJP. We condemn such remarks and demand an apology.”

West Bengal Finance Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya said the verbal attack on Banerjee reflected the misogynistic mentality of the BJP.

“Attacking the only female CM is not only a despicable act but a despicable display of misogyny. Smt. @Chandrimaaitc strongly condemns @SuvenduWB for his disgraceful attack on Smt. @MamataOfficial while she was undergoing treatment. His words are full of Desperate and a complete lack of basic human decency. He must now sincerely apologize,” she posted on X.

The BJP on Friday demanded a thorough investigation into claims that Ms Banerjee was injured after falling at her residence “due to a push from behind”, a move that drew a strong rebuttal from the ruling TMC and asked the saffron camp not to politicize the matter .

Manimoy Bandyopadhyay, director of the state-run SSKM Hospital, said Ms Banerjee fell at her Kalighat residence “due to the push from behind” and suffered injuries to her forehead and nose. A day later, Manimoy Bandyopadhyay, director of state-run SSKM Hospital, clarified on Friday that he only meant that the CM might have felt “a pushing feeling”.

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