'He could have died': Mamata Banerjee berates hospital staff over nephew Abhishek's injuries following Sonarpur incident
Former West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee slammed hospital staff for their delayed response to treating her nephew Abhishek Banerjee following his manhandling in Sonarpur on Saturday.
TMC Chairperson Mamata Banerjee with party MP Abhishek Banerjee leaves from Apollo hospital following the attack during his visit to Sonarpur in Kolkata. ANI
Former West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee slammed hospitals over their treatment of his nephew Abhishek. Abhishek was manhandled by locals on Saturday evening while he was visiting the families of victims of post-poll violence in South 24 Parganas' Sonarpur.
Abhishek was rushed to a private hospital after reporting neck and back pain following the alleged assault. Doctors allotted him an ITU bed, though the hospital later said his injuries were minor and did not warrant hospitalisation.
Mamata attacks hospital staff
The TMC supremo questioned the hospital staff over their treatment of Abhishek. Addressing reporters on Saturday night, Banerjee claimed that an elected public representative had been assaulted and subsequently faced uncertainty over medical care.
"If there was genuinely no need for hospitalisation, why was he first taken to the ITU, kept under observation for nearly two hours, and advised to undergo multiple medical tests and scans?" she asked.
As per the TMC supremo, Abhishek remained under medical supervision from around 8.15 pm till nearly 11 pm before being discharged. She maintained that if the doctors had considered treatment and observation necessary, no external authority should have interfered with that decision.
Incident could have far-reaching consequences
Referring to the medical assessment, Banerjee said doctors found multiple injuries and recommended urgent investigations. "The doctors who examined him observed multiple injuries and advised urgent medical investigations. According to the medical assessment, he sustained multiple blunt injuries to the face, back, chest, and neck," she said.
She added that doctors advised X-rays and scans to rule out fractures, internal bleeding and other complications, including possible injury to internal organs. Banerjee alleged that the incident could have had far more serious consequences.
"I have been informed that had a helmet not been placed on his head at the crucial moment, the consequences could have been fatal," she said, claiming that Abhishek suffered injuries to his chest and rib area due to stone-pelting and physical assault.
Mamata questions administration's role
The former Bengal chief minister also questioned the administration's role, saying the police had prior information about the visit. "The police had prior information regarding the visit of Abhishek; despite that, questions remain regarding security arrangements," she said, alleging that outsiders had been brought in to create violence.
Maintaining that political rivalry should not translate into violence, Banerjee said democracy must be guided by public support and debate rather than intimidation. "Politics should be fought politically. The answer to political differences cannot be violence, intimidation, weapons, or fear," she said.
Pressure on medical staff
The former chief minister also expressed concern over allegations that pressure had been exerted on doctors and hospital authorities regarding treatment decisions.
"The most disturbing aspect of today's developments is the allegation that pressure was exerted on doctors and hospital authorities regarding the treatment of an injured patient," she said, asserting that decisions on admission, discharge and treatment should rest solely with medical professionals.
Banerjee said her party had decided to continue Abhishek's treatment under the supervision of trusted doctors and family physicians. She also noted that he has a pre-existing eye-related medical condition, making a thorough assessment of his injuries essential.
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