Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], June 15 (ANI): TMC leader Kunal Ghosh, who was targeted with an egg thrown at him by a local youth, said "this kind of incident" cannot stop him and he had given a complaint to the Police Commissioner.
He said he had gone to Mamata Banerjee's residence to attend a meeting and termed the incident "unfortunate".
Ghosh alleged that those who targeted him were "miscreants from the BJP" and he saved his eye otherwise it could have been damaged.
He also said that police was present at that time and did not take any steps.
"I came to Mamata Banerjee's house to attend a meeting. After the meeting when I was coming out, reporters - like everyday - requested me for an interview. So, I was replying to their questions... At that time, two boys targeted me and threw the egg on me. One of them, threw an egg. I saved my eye, otherwise it could have been damaged. Mamata Banerjee gets Z category security and still this kind of incident occurred near her house; it is very unfortunate," he said.
"Do not call it public outrage, they are two miscreants from the BJP. I am not fearing anyone. Police was present at that time and did not take any steps. I gave a complaint to the Police Commissioner and other officials. But, I want to tell one thing that this kind of incident cannot stop me," he added.
Ghosh also said that senior leaders like Saugata Roy, Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay, Kalyan Banerjee, Madan Mitra, and Biman Banerjee were at Mamata Banerjee's residence.
"Had it been done to them! What is happening? Will no one come to Mamata Didi's residence?" he asked.
Kunal Ghosh said he would not be intimidated. "They threw the egg and then ran away... Let me tell them: they can throw a hundred eggs, or a thousand eggs, but they cannot stop Kunal Ghosh," he said, adding the act is "cowardice." On a lighter note, he also said he liked eggs.
Chandan, the local youth, accused TMC of having committed atrocities on people.
"They have done a lot of atrocities on people. Kunal Ghosh is no less. So, they deserve this...They have wronged us a lot," he alleged.
Kunal Ghosh earlier launched a sharp attack on party rebels, saying the real matter is that the BJP shut doors on them and that "they have no prestige" and "they are talking to the BJP and joining some other party".
Referring to the remarks of rebel TMC leaders that they have joined the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), Ghosh said the real point is that the BJP did not induct them and shut its doors.
He said that the rebel TMC MPs are talking to the BJP, visiting their residences but have joined another party.
"They are joining NCPI (Nationalist Citizens Party of India) is not a big matter, the real matter is that the BJP shut doors on them. They want to be BJP's friends and join NDA, they are talking to BJP and visiting BJP leaders' residences, and joining some other party about which nobody has any detailed information," he said.
He asked why the BJP did not welcome the party rebels.
"The real point is that the BJP didn't induct, it shut doors. They are guests who are welcome but not inside their house, a rented accommodation is being provided for them to stay. So, they have no prestige. BJP held meetings with them but if there is a question of merger, why did the BJP not induct them? Why did the BJP not welcome them? This shows that they have no prestige. They are talking to BJP and joining some other party."
He also raised questions concerning NCPI and the induction process and said the manner in which rebel MPs have joined the regional party is "shameful for democracy".
"I don't know the details of NCPI. I won't comment. But our sources say that there has been no resolution, decision and meeting of that party so far. Who spoke on their behalf? The MPs were talking with the BJP. There was nobody from NCPI. Who is it who inducted them? They were not even given a flag...This is shameful for democracy," he added.
Reacting to actor-turned-politician Saayoni Ghosh's merger with NCPI, Ghosh said she was elected on an anti-BJP mandate, and her move to the NDA was not right.
"She was elected to the Parliament on an anti-BJP vote. The Lok Sabha election was an anti-BJP vote. Now, she is going to NDA. This is not right," he said.
Answering another query, Kunal Ghosh referred to MLA Nayna Bandyopadhyay, saying she is his sister-in-law and said there is an oath not to abandon "Didi".
"Nayna Bandyopadhyay is my sister-in-law. We had taken an oath that we would not abandon Didi. Let's see whether she will continue to be by Didi's side. Her husband has left...I hope she continues here," Ghosh said.
Trinamool Congress has witnessed a turmoil after its defeat in the assembly polls. While there has been a rebellion among the MLAs, a large section of party MPs have urged Lok Sabha Speaker to allow separate seating arrangement for them.
Rebel MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar on Sunday said that 20 Lok Sabha MPs have merged with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) and will extend support to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
She said the group met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and submitted a letter seeking separate seating arrangement, claiming they constitute more than two-thirds of the party's strength in the lower House of Parliament.
"We, the twenty MPs elected from the AITC, met the Speaker and submitted a letter requesting to sit separately; these twenty MPs constitute more than two-thirds of our total strength. We are merging with the Nationalist Citizens Party. Moving forward, we will work for the nation and collaborate with the NDA under the leadership of the Prime Minister," Dastidar said.
Three Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MPs - Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, Sushmita Dev and Prakash Baraik - have resigned from their upper house and party membership. (ANI)
