Kolkata: The youth, who slapped Mamata Banerjee’s nephew and Trinamool MP Abhishek Banerjee, was on Monday booked for ‘attempt to murder’, even as police identified him as an active member of the ABVP having direct connection with RSS leaders.

The The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), meanwhile, denied that the youth who attacked Mr Banerjee was a member of the organisation.

The condition of the accused, Debashis Acharya, admitted to the hospital was stated to be critical after he suffered multiple head injuries. He was beaten up by Trinamul partymen after he slapped Mr Banerjee.

Meanwhile, the slapping incident sparked a major political storm in the state. Mr Banerjee made an appeal to his supporters to remain calm and maintain peace. In a Facebook post he said he had forgiven his assailant Debashis Acharya and even wished him a speedy recovery.

The entire party leadership stood by Mr Banerjee and condemned the attack on him. Although they did not name BJP, the ruling party leaders blamed the party for the attack.

Virtually defending the retaliatory attack on mr Acharya by Panchayat minister Subrata Mukherjee said, “When Indira Gandhi was assassinated, several people were killed. Nothing of that sort happened this time.”