Bangla bandh call today over ‘Nabanna Abhijan’ clashes; JP Nadda slams Mamata Banerjee

The Bharatiya Janata Party has called for a 12-hour Bangla bandh (strike in West Bengal) on Wednesday, August 28, in protest against “brutal” police action against “peaceful” protesters during the Nabanna Abhijan’ or march to state secretariat in Kolkata on Tuesday.

The BJP has announced Bangla bandh from 6am to 6pm on August 28. The protesters were attempting to reach ‘Nabanna’ to demand the resignation of West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee over the alleged rape-murder of a doctor at state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9.

The streets of Kolkata were gripped by violence and chaos following a protest rally that took a wrong turn in Kolkata. Following the incident, Union minister and West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumder called for a “12-hour bandh” in the state.

BJP president JP Nadda slammed the Kolkata Police’s alleged highhandedness in handling protesters saying “in Didi’s West Bengal, to help rapists and criminals is valued”.

On Tuesday, the Nabanna Abhijan was organised by an unregistered students’ body Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj (West Bengal Students Community) and the Sangrami Joutha Mancha (Joint Platform of Struggle), an organisation of state government employees who have been agitating for long demanding their DA to be made at par with their Central government counterparts.

The rally began from the College Square in Kolkata amid heightened security around the West Bengal state secretariat with protesters gathering at the Santragachi area in Howrah.

Responding to BJP’s shutdown call, senior Trinamool Congress leader Kunal Ghosh said, “We have been stating from the very beginning that the Chhatra Samaj-sponsored Nabanna Abhijan had the backing of the BJP. This was apparent the way miscreants masquerading as student protestors created large-scale disturbances in the name of peaceful protests today. This was clear by the way the BJP lost no time to give call for a bandh to foment disturbances.”

Clashes erupted between police and protesters at different parts of Kolkata and its neighbouring Howrah on Tuesday, as the agitators tried to make their way through barricades to march towards the West Bengal secretariat ‘Nabanna’.

While the BJP called for a general strike on Wednesday, the ruling Trinamool Congress denounced the decision claiming it was aimed at creating chaos. Over 200 people were arrested in connection with the Nabanna Abhijan rally.

Clashes were reported at MG Road, Hastings Road and areas near the Princep Ghat alongside Santragachi and Howrah Maidan in which some protesters as well as 29 police personnel were injured.

News agency PTI reported that 126 members and supporters of Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj were arrested. Out of them, 33 were women.

The Kolkata Police had resort to lathi charge, used water cannons and tear gas to disperse protesters who threw stones at the security forces, and attempted to breach barricades blocking their way to the state secretariat.

Later, police used teargas and resorted to lathi-charge to disperse BJP leaders and supporters when they marched towards Kolkata Police headquarters Lalbazar demanding the release of students arrested during the Nabanna Abhijan rally. The police action began after BJP supporters attempted to break police barricades to enter Lal Bazaar.

BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar, who led the march, fell ill after being exposed to teargas and subsequently left the scene. Earlier a BJP procession led by Majumdar was stopped from advancing towards Lal Bazar.

Taking a swipe at chief minister Mamata Banerjee, JP Nadda said, “The images of police highhandedness from Kolkata have angered every person who values democratic principles. In Didi’s West Bengal, to help rapists and criminals is valued but it’s a crime to speak for women’s safety.”

Accusing the Kolkata Police of repressing people’s voice for justice, JP Nadda said Mamata Banerjee has chosen to maintain silence in the face of the ghastly crime against a woman and the way her parents were misled.

Senior Bengal minister Chandrima Bhattacharya said the police have done a commendable job in controlling the crowd, without giving in to the provocations during the Nabanna Abhijan.