Normal life was affected in parts of West Bengal on Aug 28 in response to a 12-hour shutdown by the BJP to condemn the alleged police action against demonstrators of the ‘Nabanna Abhiyan’ rally at the state secretariat on Aug 27.
BJP workers and supporters blocked railway tracks at Shantipur station to protest the police action against what they claimed a peaceful rally held on Aug 27 against the rape and murder of a woman doctor.
Police detained BJP leader Locket Chatterjee at Kolkata's Bata Chowk to disperse the protest demonstration that he was leading, following BJP's 'Bangla Bandh' call. Scores of protesting BJP workers were also detained at Alipurduar during a demonstration held against alleged police action on the ‘Nabanna Abhiyan’ rally a day before.
The protesters alleged the police used lathi charge and tear gas shells on peaceful ‘Nabanna Abhiyan’ held to seek justice for the woman doctor. BJP leader Arjun Singh alleged that six rounds were fired at the car of Bhatpara BJP leader Priyangu Pandey during the “Bangla Bandh”.
“Some miscreants were captured on CCTV opening fire on the car of local BJP leader in Bhatpara. Ravi Singh, BJP supporter who was riding the car, sustained injuries,” a news channel quoted Singh as saying.
The vehicular movement was badly affected in otherwise highly commercially busy state capital Kolkata. Lesser number of buses, auto-rickshaws and taxis were seen plying on roads in Kolkata even as markets and shops remained open as usual.
Schools and colleges remained open but attendance was lesser in private offices as most of employees worked from home, according to media reports.
BJP president JP Nadda, slammed the police’s alleged highhandedness in Kolkata in handling protesters who were agitating against the rape-murder of a trainee doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar hospital on Aug 9.
‘Nabanna Abhiyan’ rally
Pertinently violence broke out at the streets of Kolkata after police allegedly used force to disperse the demonstrators during ‘Nabanna Abhiyan’ rally. Union Minister and West Bengal BJP President Sukanta Majumder had called for a ‘12-hour bandh’ in the state to condemn the police action.
Earlier ‘Paschim Banga Chatra Samaj’ and other groups jointly organized a protest march to West Bengal Secretariat ‘Nabanna’ against the rape and murder of the 31-year-old trainee doctor.
The rally called ‘Nabanna Abhiyan’ started from the College Square in the capital of West Bengal, amid tight security cover around the West Bengal state secretariat. The protesters gathered at the Santragachi area in Howrah chanting slogans to demand justice for the woman doctor.
Union Minister and BJP West Bengal President urged Governor CV Ananda Bose to release the students detained during ‘Nabanna Abhijan’ protest rally.
“The detention violates their democratic right to protest,” he wrote in a letter to Governor, adding, “many students have been detained, and the state police used excessive force against the peaceful student activists during the protest rally”.
Meanwhile the BJP which is in opposition in West Bengal alleged that two of its workers were shot at in Bhatpara in North 24 Parganas district on Aug 27.
Police denied the charge and said that the two men were beaten up by some people outside Anglo-India Jute Mill. The injured persons were shifted to the Bhatpara State General Hospital for treatment, according to police.
Former BJP MP Arjun Singh alleged that miscreants linked to the Trinamool Congress fired the shots. The ruling party rejected the allegation.
Extending his support to the party’s ‘Bengal Bandh’ call, BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Aug 28 said that the Bengal residents are dissatisfied with Chief Minister as she is using brute force to intimidate people.
”Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has miserably failed to cover up the heinous crime against a woman doctor. She called it a suicide to cover up. She can not use police force to intimidate the people angry against her,” Chandrasekhar said.
“She should bring the perpetrators to justice and to make sure there is a fair investigation,” he added.
Meanwhile, lashing out at BJP’s ‘Bengal Bandh’ call, Trinamool Congress leader Kunal Ghosh on Aug 28 said that the people of West Bengal have rejected the “drama of anarchy.”
Ghosh termed the bandh as a “failed attempt” to create turmoil in the State.
“We all want justice in the rape and murder case. Mamata Banerjee too wants justice. The case is now in CBI’s hands. One accused has been arrested...now the CBI is investigating the matter,” Ghosh said.
“BJP is trying to create anarchy here. They attacked the police a day before and today they have called this bandh. Everything is normal in Bengal. The people of West Bengal have rejected BJP’s bandh.” he added.
