Overview
- Viral video of the Sonarpur incident over the weekend showed stones, eggs and alleged attempts to assault TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee, prompting public outrage and questions about local security arrangements.
- Kapil Sibal called the episode 'shameful' and said he was 'ashamed to live in a country' where such attacks occur while also criticising the withdrawal of Banerjee's security cover and the initial police response.
- West Bengal Police registered a case and reported that five people have been arrested in connection with the Sonarpur episode, setting in motion a criminal probe that officials say is ongoing.
- The BJP forcefully rejected Sibal’s remark as unpatriotic and accused him of selective outrage by pointing to alleged 2021 post-poll violence, while some party spokespeople suggested some arrested suspects may have links to the TMC.
- The exchange has turned the incident into both a legal matter and a political flashpoint, raising risks of further polarisation and making the outcome of the police investigation a key factor in how the row evolves.