West Bengal Protests Escalate: Police Clash with Demonstrators, BJP Calls for Statewide Strike

Photo: PTI

The West Bengal police resorted to a lathi-charge, using water cannons and tear gas to disperse protestors who attempted to march towards the State secretariat during the “March to Nabanna” protest rally on Tuesday. The rally demanded justice for the RG Kar hospital rape and murder case and called for the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Clashes erupted between the police and protesters in various parts of Kolkata and its neighboring Howrah district as the demonstrators attempted to breach barricades on their way to “Nabanna,” the State secretariat. The police responded with lathi-charges, water cannons, and tear gas to control the situation. In retaliation, some agitators hurled stones and bricks at the security forces while continuing their march amid a heavy security presence. Several protesters and policemen were injured during the clashes.

In response, the Opposition BJP in West Bengal announced a 12-hour general strike across the State on Wednesday to protest the “police action” against those who participated in the rally, which was organized by the Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj.

Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj, a relatively unknown student organization, demanded the Chief Minister’s resignation, accusing her of failing to address the brutal rape and murder of a woman doctor at the State-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.

Ahead of the ‘Nabanna Abhijan’ march, police arrested four activists from the Chhatra Samaj, alleging that they were plotting to incite large-scale violence.

The Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, accused the police of “brutal repression on peaceful participants” in the rally. Adhikari also threatened to disrupt the State if the “brutalities” by the State administration continued.

“Police are using water cannons on peaceful protestors at Santragachi, deploying tear gas at students on Howrah Bridge, and lathi-charging them at College Street. These brutal actions must stop immediately,” the BJP leader told the media.

“An alarming situation has been created by this administration. Numerous protestors have been injured. If the police do not cease these brutalities, we will not remain passive,” Adhikari added, noting that BJP leaders were not directly involved in the Chhatra Samaj movement, respecting the student organization’s request for their absence. “But we stand with them,” he asserted.

Meanwhile, the ruling Trinamool Congress argued that the strike call revealed the BJP’s strategy to incite unrest in the State by exploiting public anger over the rape and murder case.

“We have consistently maintained that the Chhatra Samaj-sponsored Nabanna Abhijan was backed by the BJP. The disturbances created by individuals posing as student protestors today clearly reflect this. The BJP’s swift call for a bandh to incite further unrest confirms our suspicions,” said Trinamool Congress leader Kunal Ghosh.