A day after she was hospitalised owing to injuries she sustained in Nandigram, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday released a video from the hospital urging her supporters to exercise restraint. She expressed the hope that she would return to “her field in next two or three days” and the developments would not affect her political meetings.
“Maybe, I will have to use a wheelchair for the next few days, but I will manage”, she stated.
Also read: Mamata Banerjee suffers leg injury while campaigning in Nandigram, alleges conspiracy
“It is true I was very badly hurt yesterday and there is an injury in my foot, and I suffered from pain in my chest and head. I was greeting people from the bonnet of my car, when a lot of pressure came, and my leg got pressed in the car…..I will appeal to everyone to maintain restraint. In next two three days, I will be able to return to my field. Maybe, I will have to use a wheelchair for the next few days, but I will manage,” she said.
The Chief Minister was injured in Nandigram after filing her nomination papers on Wednesday and had alleged that it was a “conspiracy”.
The Trinamool Congress had to cancel the release of its manifesto and the leadership was not sure what will happen to her scheduled events in districts. The assurance from the Chief Minister to return to the heat and dust of political campaign has come as a major respite to it. Sources in the party said Ms. Banerjee may join the political campaign from Saturday by releasing the manifesto.
Earlier in the day, a six-member medical board examined Ms. Banerjee’s health parameters. “There is a plaster in the left ankle. She is feeling pain in a leg and also some headache. Some more radiological investigation has been prescribed. We have seen deficiency in sodium. There is bone injury,” a member of the medical board said.
Also read: Mamata Banerjee files nomination from Nandigram
Later in the evening, an MRI was again conducted on the Chief Minister.
Protests across the State
The development triggered angry reactions by Trinamool Congress workers across the State. They blocked roads, burnt tyres and got into tussles with BJP workers in Nandigram. TMC supporters remained gathered outside the SSKM Hospital where she is undergoing treatment with posters and placards wishing her a speedy recovery. The police in Purba Medinipur district have registered a case in the matter following a complaint lodged by TMC leader Sheikh Sufian. The FIR invokes IPC sections 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint) and 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt) against unknown persons.
Also read: Mamata Banerjee is under threat due to abrupt removal of State DGP: TMC says in complaint to EC
Eyewitness accounts
Several people who claimed to have witnessed the incident on Wednesday evening said that Ms Banerjee’s car hit a post erected on the road at Birulia market. “The Chief Minister was standing on the footboard of her vehicle and waving at people, when the door of the car hit the post and she suffered injuries,” an eyewitness said.
Videos of the incident that have been aired by local television channels and are on social media show people gathering around Ms. Banerjee’s vehicle trying to take photographs and videos and the Chief Minister, who was standing on the footboard on the front seat of the car next to the driver.
