Kolkata, 03 October (H.S.) : West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday dismissed former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's claim of fracturing her leg during the 2021 Nandigram assembly election campaign as false, announcing that the state government will launch a comprehensive investigation into the alleged disinformation campaign once the ongoing Nandigram by-elections conclude.

Addressing a press conference at the state secretariat, Nabanna, the Chief Minister presented medical records to substantiate his claim, stating that hospital reports confirmed Banerjee suffered no fractures during the incident. Citing a radiological document dated March 11, 2021, from the Department of Radiodiagnosis at the Bangur Institute of Neurosciences, Adhikari asserted that the report clearly noted no evidence of fracture. He accused the former Chief Minister of insulting the residents of Nandigram by fabricating a narrative of assault and severe injury for political mileage. Adhikari added that while the matter is currently before the CID and the Model Code of Conduct is in force, the government will announce decisive legal steps and initiate a formal probe after October 9, following the conclusion of the by-poll process.

In response to the allegations, a senior physician who served on the specialized medical board overseeing Banerjee’s treatment in 2021 refuted the Chief Minister's interpretation. The doctor clarified that the cited document represented only a CT scan of the left knee, whereas the former Chief Minister had sustained injuries to her ankle and foot. The physician stressed that comprehensive evaluations, including multiple X-rays and MRI scans, were conducted at the time. A multi-disciplinary team comprising orthopaedic surgeons, general surgeons, and neuro-specialists under the supervision of the SSKM Hospital Director had collectively decided on the treatment protocol, making it scientifically invalid to draw conclusions from a single radiological report.

During the press briefing, Chief Minister Adhikari also announced a special subsidized festive ration package for the state ahead of Durga Puja. Under the initiative, approximately two crore families will receive subsidized provisions, expanding coverage significantly from the 50 lakh families assisted under the previous administration. Under the scheme, eligible households will receive wheat flour at Rs 19 per kg with the state providing a matching Rs 19 subsidy, and sugar at Rs 30 per kg with an equivalent Rs 30 state subsidy. The tendering process to distribute 500 grams of semolina per family is also in its final stages for festive rollout.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh