Two protest rallies, 4 km apart, choke heart of Kolkata for over six hours
Times of India | 29 November 2024
123 Kolkata: The city centre was choked for almost six hours — between 11.30 am and 5.30 pm — yet again mid-week, adversely affecting north-south traffic due to twin rallies that got executed barely 3.5 km from each other.
While one rally was organised by the West Bengal State Jamiat-E-Ulama at R R Avenue in Esplanade, another was taken out by the Bangiya Hindu Jagaran Mancha between Sealdah and Beckbagan.
Among the section of citizens who were most affected on Thursday were school and college students trying to return home and passengers headed for Sealdah station. Several ambulances also got stuck in the jam and had to take long detours, with police seen helping Rajdhani Express passengers reach Sealdah station.
Police said that while the build-up to the Esplanade rally began in the morning, they were taken by surprise by the large number of vehicles arriving around Maidan from within the city and outside. Traffic slowed down not just on the Rajabazar-Esplanade stretch but as far back as Hastings and Alipore.
"Ours was a pre-declared rally demanding the announcement of Palestine as an independent nation, nullifying the WAQF bill proposed by the NDA govt, stopping foul comments on Nabi and for overall national unity. Many people came from far and wide, which created some traffic congestion," said Mufti Abdul Salam, general secretary of West Bengal State Jamiat-E-Ulama.
Due to the parking of a large number of mini trucks on Hospital Road, traffic movement slowed down between DH Road and Red Road since morning. The gathering at RR Avenue started at 12 noon and continued for two hours.
Later, around 2 pm, hundreds of men wearing saffron headbands and holding a banner of Bangiya Hindu Jagaran Mancha took out a rally from Sealdah crossing to the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission office at Beckbagan, choking afternoon traffic on APC Road and AJC Bose Road. Several students trying to return home were caught in the melee and police had to resort to diversions. Police diverted vehicles from Mullickbazar towards AJC Bose Flyover and Gariahat and also diverted another section of vehicles on the choked Theatre Road.
To circumvent any untoward incidents during the march in Kolkata, the police set up multiple barricades. However, the participants breached the barricades in succession. The police attempted to stop the marchers from breaking the barriers, leading to chaos. The police were seen using minimal pushback techniques initially. However, the protesters managed to break through the police barricades. They alleged that the police abruptly halted their peaceful march, causing the situation to escalate. The leaders of the organisation were seen arguing with the police for some time, but the situation did not return to normal. It is reported that an officer sustained a head injury during the scuffle.
Subsequently, after two hours, a delegation of five individuals was permitted to enter the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission. "We want the immediate release of the monk in Bangladesh, else we will escalate the gravity of our protest," said a rally participant.