Didi shifts blame on her car; wants to return in poll campaign, even in wheelchair

Kolkata: Apparently deviating from her explosive claim on Wednesday evening of being “attacked and injured by a group of men in a conspiracy” in the absence of the police in Nandigram, the hot seat of the West Bengal Assembly polls, chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday shifted the blame of leaving her hurt on her own moving car, hit by the “pressure” of the crowd, as she stood out of its open door on the front and was greeting people in her trademark poll campaign style.

There was, however, no reference to any foul play or any ill-motive in the latest version of the Trinamul Congress supremo, who underwent a plaster on her left leg for ankle fracture and feet injury and a series of medical tests since she was admitted at the Woodburn Ward of SSKM Hospital here on Wednesday night.

Lying on the bed, Ms Banerjee said in a video message: “It is true I suffered heavy injuries yesterday. My hands and legs, including ligament, were hurt. I also felt severe pain in my chest and head after suffering such a massive injury. Standing on the bonnet of my car, I was doing namaskar (to the crowd). Naturally, heavy pressure fell on it then all of a sudden. My legs got crushed in the car. I took the medicines that were with me. We started for Kolkata immediately. Since then, I have been under the treatment of the doctors.”

Her fresh narrative came after many local residents, who witnessed the accident at Birulia in Ranichak of Nandigram on Wednesday evening, had punctured her allegations. They, however, claimed that the open front door on the left side of the white SUV, in which the CM was travelling in a long convoy through a crowded narrow road, was hit by a lamp post.

Also, videos of the moment, which went viral later, did not corroborate Ms Banerjee’s initial version, while the BJP found gaps in her claim and demanded a probe into the security breach by the CBI. Further, the state police, in its report to the Election Commission, concluded that the event was “an accident, not an attack”.

Soon after the incident, the CM had alleged: “Standing beside my car, I was doing namaskar. Suddenly four-five men blocked my car. They shoved and pushed me, leaving me injured. My legs got swollen. It is paining very much. It was a conspiracy definitely. The attack was deliberate. No police was present there. Even the SP was not there.”

Sharing her plans in the video, Ms Banerjee, whose party postponed the release of its manifesto that was earlier scheduled for Thursday, vowed to bounce back in her poll campaign. “I appeal to all, including our party workers, to stay calm and show restraint. Do not do anything which troubles people. I hope to return to my field within two to three days. Though problems in my legs will continue, I will manage. I will not let my meetings go to waste. I might have to travel in a wheelchair with your cooperation for a few days,” she added.

Acting on local TMC leader Abu Sufiyan’s complaint, the East Midnapore police, meanwhile, initiated a case under IPC Sections 341 (wrongful restraint) and 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) against “unknown persons” after district magistrate Bibhu Goyel and superintendent of police Praween Prakash inspected the incident spot on Thursday morning.

Apparently deviating from her explosive claim on Wednesday evening of being “attacked and injured by a group of men in a conspiracy” in the absence of the police in Nandigram, the hot seat of the West Bengal Assembly polls, chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday shifted the blame of leaving her hurt on her own moving car, hit by the “pressure” of the crowd, as she stood out of its open door on the front and was greeting people in her trademark poll campaign style.

There was, however, no reference to any foul play or any ill-motive in the latest version of the Trinamul Congress supremo, who underwent a plaster on her left leg for ankle fracture and feet injury and a series of medical tests since she was admitted at the Woodburn Ward of SSKM Hospital here on Wednesday night.

Lying on the bed, Ms Banerjee said in a video message: “It is true I suffered heavy injuries yesterday. My hands and legs, including ligament, were hurt. I also felt severe pain in my chest and head after suffering such a massive injury. Standing on the bonnet of my car, I was doing namaskar (to the crowd). Naturally, heavy pressure fell on it then all of a sudden. My legs got crushed in the car. I took the medicines that were with me. We started for Kolkata immediately. Since then, I have been under the treatment of the doctors.”

Her fresh narrative came after many local residents, who witnessed the accident at Birulia in Ranichak of Nandigram on Wednesday evening, had punctured her allegations. They, however, claimed that the open front door on the left side of the white SUV, in which the CM was travelling in a long convoy through a crowded narrow road, was hit by a lamp post.

Also, videos of the moment, which went viral later, did not corroborate Ms Banerjee’s initial version, while the BJP found gaps in her claim and demanded a probe into the security breach by the CBI. Further, the state police, in its report to the Election Commission, concluded that the event was “an accident, not an attack”.

Soon after the incident, the CM had alleged: “Standing beside my car, I was doing namaskar. Suddenly four-five men blocked my car. They shoved and pushed me, leaving me injured. My legs got swollen. It is paining very much. It was a conspiracy definitely. The attack was deliberate. No police was present there. Even the SP was not there.”

Sharing her plans in the video, Ms Banerjee, whose party postponed the release of its manifesto that was earlier scheduled for Thursday, vowed to bounce back in her poll campaign. “I appeal to all, including our party workers, to stay calm and show restraint. Do not do anything which troubles people. I hope to return to my field within two to three days. Though problems in my legs will continue, I will manage. I will not let my meetings go to waste. I might have to travel in a wheelchair with your cooperation for a few days,” she added.

Acting on local TMC leader Abu Sufiyan’s complaint, the East Midnapore police, meanwhile, initiated a case under IPC Sections 341 (wrongful restraint) and 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) against “unknown persons” after district magistrate Bibhu Goyel and superintendent of police Praween Prakash inspected the incident spot on Thursday morning.

end-of