Mob targets BJP MP Bista in Kalimpong

TNN | Oct 23, 2019, Kalimpong: Darjeeling BJP MP Raju Bista, who was in Kalimpong on Tuesday to attend a school programme, was attacked by around 80 goons before he could reach the venue. Bista’s securitypersons were outnumbered and were injured trying to save him.

“I was going to attend a programme at a school at Sinji (35km from Kalimpong) around 1pm. When I neared Mandir Khola, a group of 80-100 men stopped us. Most were drunk and armed with khukris and knives. They blocked our way and started pelting stones,” Bista said.

While none was carrying any party flag, BJP and GJM workers (Bimal Gurung faction) accompanying Bista identified some of them as Trinamool Congress workers. Bista said the mob tried to assault him. “My private security guard got hit as he was trying to cover me from the barrage of blows and stones thrown at me,” he said.

Bista, who said he had photographic evidence of the attack, reached the district police station around 4.30pm to file a case against around 40 people. GJM’s Binay Tamang faction called a press conference and denied the allegation.

BJP MP Raju Bista, from Darjeeling parliamentary constituency in West Bengal, was attacked by TMC goons in Kalimpong while he was on his way to inaugurate a new school building. The BJP MP tweeted a video of the attack and blamed the attack on drunk TMC goons. "Today there was an assassination attempt on me. I was on my way to inaugurate a new school building in Sinji, Kalimpong when drunk TMC supporters attacked me with Khukuri, Knives and pelted heavy Stones," Raju Bista posted on Twitter.