Rahul slams TMC over Congress worker’s murder in Bengal: ‘Reign of terror'

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday (April 26) launched a strong attack against the Trinamool Congress (TMC) over the brutal killing of Debdeep Chatterjee, a supporter of his party, in Asansol in poll-bound West Bengal earlier on Saturday (April 25). Condemning the incident, he said the Congress would not yield to what he called the politics to undermine India's non-violent ethos.

'No democracy in Bengal'

"In West Bengal today, it is not democracy but TMC's reign of terror that prevails. Intimidating, attacking, and eliminating opposing voices after votes are cast—this has become the defining character of TMC," Rahul said in a post on X.

कांग्रेस के कार्यकर्ता देबदीप चटर्जी की चुनाव बाद TMC से जुड़े गुंडों द्वारा की गई हत्या बेहद निंदनीय है। शोकाकुल परिवार के प्रति मेरी गहरी संवेदनाएँ।

पश्चिम बंगाल में आज लोकतंत्र नहीं, TMC का गुंडा राज चल रहा है। वोट के बाद विरोधी आवाज़ों को डराना, मारना, मिटाना - यही TMC का… https://t.co/kQn4T9deL0

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 26, 2026

"We will not bow before this politics that stains India's non-violent tradition. Justice will be done," he added.

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The Congress veteran made his post attaching another post from the state Congress, which said the deceased was working closely with Prasenjit Puitandi, the party's candidate from Asansol North constituency, which voted on April 23.

It accused the TMC of orchestrating the murder. Chatterjee was beaten to death in front of his wife and minor son by some youths following an altercation while they were returning from an invitation. He was known to be close to Puitandi. Asansol North is known to be a TMC bastion.

"This tragic incident exposes the complete collapse of law and order in the state and raises serious questions about the safety of opposition workers in West Bengal. The fact that such violence has occurred immediately after polling highlights a deeply disturbing pattern of political intimidation and vendetta," the state Congress's post further added.

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The incident of April 25 was not the only post-poll violence after the first phase of the election in Bengal. There were several reports of clashes, attacks on opposition candidates, and crude bomb explosions, which put the Election Commission's promise of strong security in doubt.

Rahul targets Mamata, Modi

Despite the Congress and TMC being common enemies to the BJP, they are also contesting this year's Bengal election as opponents. On Saturday, Rahul attacked both Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a campaign in Bengal, saying neither of them showed any concern for the poor but the rich and were hungry for power.

Also read: In Bengal, can Rahul, Priyanka go beyond 'measured aggression’ against Mamata?

The Congress is contesting the 2026 election alone, after a gap of 20 years.

The Grand-Old Party also alleged that democracy has ended in Bengal and the TMC's reign of terror continues. Demanding immediate arrest of culprits who killed Chatterjee and the harshest possible punishment, it said it would not allow the country to be destroyed by such "anti-people forces".

(With agency inputs)