Abhishek Banerjee accuses Kolkata Police of surveillance, fears fresh attack
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Trinamool Congress General Secretary and Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha MP Abhishek Banerjee on Wednesday, 11 November accused the Kolkata Police of deploying official vehicles to conduct surveillance around his residence — the second such allegation he has levelled within five days.
What Abhishek Banerjee Alleged
In a post on his social media account on Wednesday afternoon, Banerjee claimed that Kolkata Police officials were 'using official police vehicles to conduct surveillance around my residence and snoop on me.' He alleged that a similar recce had taken place the previous week, after which 'hooligans attacked' his home on the intervening night of 6 and 7 November. 'Four days have passed, yet not a single perpetrator has been arrested,' he said.
Notably, Banerjee had raised an identical complaint on the afternoon of 6 November — just hours before the alleged attack on his residence later that night. Wednesday's post represents his second public accusation in five days, suggesting a pattern of escalation rather than an isolated grievance.
Fresh Attack Fears and Direct Questions
Banerjee went further, saying he had 'serious reasons to believe another attack is being planned.' In his post, he asked: 'Is the objective to intimidate and silence me while rapes and other crimes continue unabated across the state?' He also questioned why Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla had not intervened despite what he described as repeated complaints. 'Why is the BJP government so afraid of my voice? Is the police force being used to protect citizens or to intimidate those who dare to question the government?' he wrote.
BJP Blamed, Evidence Contested
Banerjee directly accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of orchestrating the surveillance and alleged attacks in a pre-planned manner, framing them as a reflection of the ruling party's fear of his public voice. However, the picture and video he attached to his post showed a motorcycle with two unidentified men — neither of whom was in police uniform — raising questions about the direct evidentiary basis of his claim. No official Kolkata Police response had been reported at the time of publication.
Context and Political Background
Banerjee, who is also the nephew of former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, has been a vocal critic of the Centre. His allegations come at a particularly charged moment in West Bengal politics, with tensions between the state government and BJP running high amid ongoing controversies over law and order. This is the second time in five days he has used social media to publicly challenge the Kolkata Police over what he describes as targeted snooping — a tactic that amplifies both the political pressure and the public scrutiny on the force.
As of Wednesday evening, no arrests had been made in connection with the alleged 7 November attack on his residence, and no official response had been issued by the Kolkata Police or the Lok Sabha Speaker's office.