In a political move following an “apolitical” rally, the BJP’s Bengal unit on Wednesday called for a 12-hour ‘Bangla Bandh’ to protest the alleged police atrocities against agitators during the day’s ‘Nabanna Abhijan’. The party also announced a helpline for those arrested or injured during the rally.
“We hereby announce a 12 hour Bangla Bandh tomorrow (Wednesday) to protest against atrocities committed on peaceful protestors during Nabanna Abhiyan. With folded hands I ask all the people to participate in the protests and make the bandh successful. We want the end of this autocratic regime. Today we saw how the police baton charged, lobbed tear gas shells and water cannons on peaceful protestors. It was a spontaneous protest rally with Indian flags. It was not a BJP rally. People from all walks of life participated,” said Sukanta Majumder.
“The police didn’t even spare senior citizens and women who participated in the rally. Many were injured. There was no stone pelting anywhere before the police lathi charged,” said Majumdar, who is also the Union Minister of State for Education, during a press conference in Kolkata.
On the Left Front remaining absent from the protest, Majumdar said, “This was not a political rally but a rally of the Chattra Samaj, a student body. However, the Left refraining from joining the protest shows that it has an understanding with the Trinamool Congress.”
The BJP also announced various political programmes, including a dharna at Esplanade on August 29 to programmes of the Mahila Morcha wing of the party and agitations in the districts throughout the remaining days of August.
Meanwhile, the Trinamool Congress said it is a conspiracy to bring in anarchy in West Bengal. “The protestors broke barricades and pelted stones at the police. Who were they in the name of Chattra Samaj? Their first task was to break the barricades. How can this be allowed? Policemen got injured. CPIM showed restraint but goons backed by the BJP did all this and tried to bring anarchy in West Bengal,” said TMC leader Kunal Ghosh.
“They have called a bandh. Tomorrow (Wednesday) there will be no bandh. People will foil the bandh. This is BJP’s conspiracy. It is a plot and a conspiracy hatched from Delhi. We salute people’s emotion to seek justice after a heinous crime has taken place (RG Kar hospital rape and murder case), but the BJP is trying to use is to spread anarchy. I appeal to the people to keep life normal tomorrow (Wednesday). I ask our party workers not to step into any provocation,” added Ghosh.
Incidentally, there is a programme of the Trinamool Congress in Kolkata to commemorate the foundation day of Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad (party’s student wing) where Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee are scheduled to speak.
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