By IANS,
Kolkata : Railway Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee Tuesday complained of chest and neck pain and breathlessness after a car in her convoy was hit by a lorry Monday, and has been advised complete bed rest for the next couple of days.
A close aide of the leader alleged that the incident was an attempt on the minister’s life, but a top West Bengal government official called it a “mere accident”.
Banerjee thus will stay away for the next two-three days from parliament, where she faced flak from a united opposition in parliament Tuesday over her Monday’s Maoist-backed rally at Lalgarh and her comments about the death of rebel leader Cherukuri Rajkumar, alias Azad.
Banerjee’s comment suggesting that Azad had been killed in a fake gunfight July 2, contrary to the central government’s stand that he was gunned down in an exchange of fire, raised a storm in parliament with the opposition demanding a statement from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Ratan Mukherjee, Banerjee’s additional private secretary, described the car accident at Kolaghat bridge in East Midnapore district as an attempt on the minister’s life.
“Definitely. Otherwise how could the lorry break into her convoy? There was a security lapse which has to be investigated,” Mukherjee told reporters at Banerjee’s residence.
“She has chest pain and the attending doctor has advised complete bed rest for the next two-three days. The doctor also advised hospitalisation but she disagreed as her mother was ill,” he said.
The attending doctor said Banerjee has suffered a “whiplash injury” in her chest.
The aide claimed that Banerjee suffered chest pain after her car suddenly braked when the lorry hit another car of the convoy while she was returning from the Lalgarh rally.
“In her absence, answers to questions concerning her department will be given by Question Hour by Ministers of State K.H. Muniyappa in the Lok Sabha and E.Ahamed in the Rajya Sabha.
Meanwhile, state Home Secretary Samar Ghosh said, as per the initial report received from the district administration, it was a “mere accident”.
“Investigation is on. The East Midnapore district police superintendent has been asked to give a comprehensive report,” Ghosh said.
Meanwhile, the railways lodged a complaint at the Kolkata police station complaining of security lapse that led to the incident. The lorry driver has been arrested.
The driver of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) vehicle that was hit by the lorry was injured.