State Congress Chief faces obstruction during visit to riot victim’s house in Shamsherganj

State Congress President Subhankar Banerjee, accompanied by South Malda MP Isha Khan, visited Shamsherganj today amid heightened local tensions. Their aim was to meet families affected by recent riots in the area and offer support to the victims.

However, when Banerjee tried to enter the residence of Hargovind Das, a riot victim from Jafarabad, he faced resistance. Family members of the deceased questioned him on the spot, reportedly asking why Adhir Chowdhury had directed Congress leaders to prioritize visits only to areas where Muslim families had been harmed.

The confrontation created a brief standoff at the site. Subhankar Banerjee and his team respected the family's sentiments and chose not to press further, avoiding any escalation of the situation. The incident highlighted the deep communal sensitivities still prevailing in the riot-hit areas.

After facing the obstruction, Subhankar Banerjee shifted his visit to the home of Chandan Das, another local resident affected by the violence. There, he interacted with people from the area, listened to their grievances, and reassured them of the Congress party’s commitment to justice for all victims, irrespective of community.

The Congress delegation stressed that their visit was intended to express solidarity with all affected families and criticized any attempts to politicize relief efforts. Banerjee also called for maintaining peace and demanded a thorough and unbiased investigation into the riots.

The episode at Jafarabad has added a new dimension to the ongoing political debate around how relief and political outreach should be conducted in sensitive post-riot scenarios.