Union Minister Arjun Munda condemns attack on BJP Hooghly candidate Locket Chatterjee's vehicle

Siliguri (West Bengal) [India], April 7 (ANI): Union Minister Arjun Munda on Sunday condemned the alleged attack on the vehicle of the BJP's Hooghly Lok Sabha seat candidate, Locket Chatterjee, by TMC supporters.
"Political leaders hold dialogues with the people to convey the messages of their respective parties. But, due to political rivalry, physically attacking them is highly condemnable," Arjun Munda told ANI.
He said that the people of the county are seeing this and they do not agree with them.
Locket Chatterjee on Sunday accused ruling TMC supporters of attacking her vehicle.
The incident took place while she was attending a Kali puja at Bansberia in the Hooghly district.
A video she shared on her X handle showed locals purportedly gathering around her vehicle and banging on its roof.
Launching a scathing attack on TMC, the BJP leader, who is seeking a fresh term in the Lok Sabha, posted on X, "Their audacity exposes the Trinamool mafia's grip over Hooghly. Today, their thugs dared to block my pilgrimage to Maa's Puja."
Speaking to ANI, the BJP leader claimed that she was hit by a man twice who later tried to sit inside her car.
"After I met people and offered my prayers to Goddess Kali, some people carrying black flags, raised 'Go Back' slogans. They started pushing my car from all sides. The security personnel escorted them away. I captured the entire incident on my phone. A person hit me twice and tried to sit inside the car. My driver pushed him and closed the door," Locket told ANI.
She further alleged that the people who attacked her vehicle also tried to hurt her.
Hitting out further at the ruling TMC, she alleged, "These people wanted to hurt me. We have reported the incident to the police. However, neither the police nor the locals know where they (the accused) came from."
"TMC goons, under the leadership of Shilpi Chatterjee (party councillor), were behind this incident. Ranjeet Sardar, (TMC) councillor from ward number 22, among others, were also present at the spot," she added.
Reacting to the incident, BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya said the state police, under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, would likely 'remain a mute spectator'.
"TMC goons, led by local Councillor Shilpi Chatterjee, attacked BJP MP and Hooghly candidate Locket Chatterjee's car, while she was returning from #KaliPuja in Bansberia. Shilpi and her band of thugs can dare to do this because they know Mamata Banerjee's police will remain a mute spectator. This is the surest sign that TMC is losing Hooghly, again," Malviya posted from his official X handle on Saturday.
West Bengal will poll for the Lower House of Parliament across all seven phases for the 42 seats. Malda North will go to the polls on May 4. (ANI)