Violence hits protest over RG Kar; BJP calls bandh

Kolkata: Violence erupted in Kolkata and Howrah, the twin cities across the river Hooghly, on Tuesday when the “Nabanna Cholo” protest march demanding West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s resignation over the brutal rape and murder of a young doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, triggered intense clashes between the rallyists and the police.

Several people, including a policeman who is the inspector-in-charge of Chanditala police station in Howrah, were injured.

The BJP has called a 12-hour bandh in the state on Wednesday. Though Tuesday’s rally, called by Paschimbanga Chhatra Samaj and supported by the BJP and some Opposition parties, was declared “illegal” by the state police and the ruling Trinamul Congress for want of permission, the massive security arrangements came to light on Tuesday morning.

Huge cargo containers and barricades were placed by the police on all the roads leading to Nabanna, the state secretariat on Sarat Chatterjee Road in Howrah, to stop the rallyists from moving ahead. Rapid Action Force and combat force personnel were also deployed with water cannons at various junctions.

The unrest unfolded first at Santragachhi in Howrah where the rallyists, many of whom carried the national flag, were stopped by the police at around 12.30 pm.

The cops burst teargas shells and used water cannons on the unruly demonstrators who pelted stones at them to vent their anger. A similar scene prevailed at Howrah Bridge soon, throwing traffic out of gear. The police had a difficult time to bring the situation under control. At Mandirtala, some protesters got engaged in a street fight with the police.

Though security had been tightened in and around Nabanna, a group of demonstrators managed to come close to the north gate of the state secretariat and shouted slogans. They were removed by the police. At Mahatma Gandhi Road in Burrabazar of central Kolkata, many women protesters were injured when the police resorted to a lathicharge.

Union minister and state BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar later led a rally to Lalbazar, the Kolkata Police headquarters, to secure the release of his partymen arrested during the rally. He, however, sat on a dharna outside along with other BJP leaders after being stopped by the police. Another round of street fight began when some BJP workers broke barricades.

Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari threatened to stall daily life in the state on Wednesday for the police action at the “Nabanna Cholo” rally. He also sought the CM’s resignation and President’s Rule. Within hours, the BJP announced the bandh. Majumdar said the bandh would be observed to protest against the police attack on the protest march.

BJP president J.P. Nadda posted on X: “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.”

Chief adviser to the CM Alapan Bandopadhyay later said the state government would not allow Wednesday’s bandh. “All have the right to seek a probe and justice. But the way an attempt was made to halt city life with a bandh call for tomorrow cannot be supported ahead of the Puja season and the ongoing business and trade. The state government will not tolerate the bandh. All are requested not to participate in it.”