The brother of slain Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker Abhijit Sarkar — killed during the 2021 West Bengal Assembly election post-poll violence — has alleged that the recent attacks on Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs Abhishek Banerjee and Kalyan Banerjee were staged for political gain. Biswajit Sarkar, speaking to reporters on 1 June, also questioned why the TMC leadership had remained silent when a similar cycle of violence claimed his brother's life four years ago.

Key Allegations

Biswajit Sarkar alleged that the recent incidents involving TMC leaders were being deliberately amplified to construct a political narrative. He claimed that within days, those affected would approach courts seeking enhanced security cover. 'They are orchestrating all of this themselves merely for public display. Their sole objective is to secure additional security cover,' he alleged.

He also drew a sharp contrast between how violence cases were handled under different governments, arguing that the number of FIRs registered in the current incidents, compared with those filed after the 2021 post-poll unrest, would itself reveal the difference in political intent.

The 2021 Violence and the Family's Struggle for Justice

Abhijit Sarkar was killed on 2 May 2021 in Kolkata's Kankurgachi area, hours after election results were declared. His death became one of the most high-profile cases linked to the post-poll violence that swept West Bengal that year.

The case was initially investigated by the West Bengal Police before being transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on the orders of the Calcutta High Court. Several accused persons have since been arrested, and legal proceedings are ongoing.

Despite this, Biswajit Sarkar said justice and compensation have remained elusive. 'We have been knocking on the doors of the courts for all these years. The NHRC had recommended that compensation be provided, yet even that has not been disbursed,' he said.

Targeting the TMC's Selective Outrage

Biswajit Sarkar directed pointed criticism at the TMC leadership, questioning its current vocal stance on political violence. 'Today, TMC members are speaking about the post-poll violence; but where were these people back then, when TMC leaders, MLAs, councillors and the police colluded to beat Abhijit to death?' he asked.

He argued that multiple families affected by the 2021 unrest continue to seek justice, even as the political class appears willing to engage with violence only when it affects its own leaders. Notably, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had previously recommended compensation for victims' families — a recommendation that reportedly remains unimplemented.

Political Context and What Comes Next

The remarks come amid a fresh wave of political confrontation in West Bengal, following separate incidents targeting TMC leaders. The TMC has accused the BJP of politicising the attacks, while BJP-linked victims' families have used the moment to revive accountability demands from 2021.

With the CBI probe into Abhijit Sarkar's killing still underway and compensation pending, the case is likely to remain a flashpoint as both parties contest the narrative around political violence in the state.