Abhishek Banerjee 'forgives' youth post assault at public meeting in Chandipur on Sunday

A day after he was attacked in a public meeting at Chandipur in East Midnapore district, Mamata Banerjee's nephew and Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee on Monday said he had 'forgiven' the perpetrator and wished him 'early recovery'. "At a personal level, however, let me forgive the perpetrator and wish him early recovery. Today is a new day, let us look ahead," he said in his Facebook post.

Banerjee also urged TMC workers to 'maintain peace and harmony throughout the state and be restrained in their actions'.

"It has been about 24 hours since yesterday's incident. What happened in Chandipur is now the subject of a police enquiry. So let me restrain myself from making any comment that will pre-judge the enquiry," said Banerjee.

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"My beliefs and my will to work will not lessen because of what happened. Whoever is behind this act of cowardice has no idea what we are made of. I am now doubly committed to working for the people and doing my very best for them," he said.

A youth on the pretext of taking photographs on his cell phone slapped Banerjee after climbing up to the stage at a rally at Chandipur yesterday. TMC workers present on the stage caught the youth and beat him up. He has been admitted to a hospital.

Midnapore district police had said that the youth identified as Debasis Acharya, a resident of Tamluk, was admitted to Tamluk hospital in a critical condition after he was caught and beaten up by TMC workers.