West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday, 9 August flatly denied any Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) involvement in the protests that engulfed former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during her visit to Bijpur in North 24 Parganas district, calling the outburst a spontaneous expression of public anger.

The Bijpur Incident

Banerjee, accompanied by two party MPs, travelled to Bijpur on Sunday afternoon to condole with the family of Birju Keot, husband of Jenny Sharma Keot, a Trinamool Congress (TMC) councillor who had resigned from Kanchrapara Municipality. Birju had been arrested over multiple allegations, including extortion, and died in jail on Saturday under disputed circumstances. His family alleged he was beaten to death; the exact cause of death remained unclear as of Sunday.

On her way to the family's residence, Banerjee's convoy faced fierce protests. It is alleged that shoes and mud were hurled at her vehicle, followed by bricks and stones. Banerjee later claimed that had her car windows been open, she could have suffered a head injury or even lost her life. She attributed the attack to 'BJP-backed miscreants.'

Adhikari's Sharp Rebuttal

Speaking at a memorial event in Panihati, also in North 24 Parganas, to mark the second anniversary of the rape and murder of a doctor in the RG Kar incident, Adhikari dismissed Banerjee's allegations outright. 'I did not see any familiar faces of BJP in the protest. I did not even see the BJP flag,' he said.

Adhikari also noted that Banerjee continues to receive Z-plus category security provided by the BJP-led state administration, with a senior officer from the Directorate of Security present at the scene. 'I asked if any communication had been made; they said no contact was established. From the footage I saw on TV, the police, led by senior officers, provided her with security support,' he added.

The Headset Jibe

Adhikari did not stop at a rebuttal — he offered Banerjee pointed advice. 'Mamata Banerjee should wear a headset when stepping out in public. That way, she wouldn't have to hear chants of 'thief',' he said, drawing a parallel with noise-cancelling headsets used during helicopter travel.

'They have stolen so much, that they have to hear the slogans of 'thief'. When you get on a helicopter, they put them in your ears... Put them on as there is such a huge public outcry!' Adhikari remarked.

What the Deceased's Family Said

Notably, Adhikari pointed out that Birju Keot's own family had not invited Banerjee to join any protest. 'The family members are saying, 'We did not call her to join the protest'. But she is trying to force her way in,' he said. He added that the family's stated priority was to uncover the truth — whether Birju died due to assault or illness — and that they expressed trust in the state administration to deliver justice.

Political Context

The episode comes amid simmering tensions in West Bengal over custodial deaths and political violence. The Bijpur confrontation is the latest flashpoint between the ruling TMC and the BJP in the state, with both sides trading accusations of orchestrating unrest. The RG Kar anniversary event in Panihati, which Adhikari attended on the same evening, underscored how unresolved grievances continue to animate the political landscape ahead of the next assembly cycle.

With the deceased's family demanding an independent inquiry and Banerjee's camp alleging a BJP conspiracy, the political fallout from Birju Keot's death in custody is likely to intensify in the days ahead.