TMC MLA Soham Chakraborty booked for ‘assaulting’ restaurant owner, BJP takes ‘green light for tyranny’ jibe

A Trinamool Congress MLA has been accused of assaulting a restaurant owner during the shooting of a film in Kolkata. According to a PTI report, both the legislator and the restaurant owner Anisul Alam have lodged complaints against each other.

According to the report, the dispute arose between the two side over parking the cars of the TMC MLA and his aides in front of the restaurant in New Town area near the state capital.

The restaurant owner claimed he allowed shooting in the portion of his restaurant free of cost. However, the entire parking space was reportedly occupied by cars belonging to Chakraborty's convoy.

Alam claimed when his staff told the lawmaker's aides to remove cars for other customers, Chakraborty's men told him that the actor is an MLA and a very close friend of Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.

"I said that I don't care even if he is Narendra Modi's friend or Abhishek's. It was then when suddenly Mr Chakraborty came and punched me on my face and kicked me in my abdomen," the restaurant owner was quoted by PTI as saying.

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Chakraborty admits to slapping restaurant owner

On the incident, Soham Chakraborty said,"The owner was abusing my staff and Abhishek Banerjee. He also abused me. I lost my cool and slapped him... I should have kept my cool and could have controlled my anger. I would like to apologise to the owner."

‘Law subservient to ruling party’s thugs': BJP

The Bharatiya Janata Party lashed out at the ruling TMC over the incident, calling it a ‘green light for tyranny’.

Sharing a video of the incident from a TV channel, the BJP wrote on X,"Utterly appalling! TMC MLA Soham Chakraborty violently assaults a restaurant staffer, dragging him by the collar, and has his goons beat others in New Town. Mamata Banerjee's police will do nothing because in West Bengal, the law is subservient to the ruling party's thugs."

“This rogue behavior epitomizes why TMC henchmen feel emboldened to commit relentless post-poll violence. The state’s silence and inaction are a green light for tyranny,” the BJP added.