BJP Calls 12-Hour Strike in West Bengal Over Police Crackdown on Protest March
Mumbai, 27th August 2024: The BJP has announced a 12-hour strike in West Bengal tomorrow to protest the police crackdown on a march aimed at the state secretariat, Nabanna. The demonstration was organized in response to the alleged rape and murder of a 31-year-old doctor from Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
Sukanta Majumdar, the state president of the BJP, criticized the government, stating, “We have been forced to call for a general strike because this autocratic regime ignores public demands for justice for the deceased doctor. Instead of delivering justice, Mamata Banerjee’s police are targeting peaceful citizens who seek a safer environment for women.”
The streets leading to Nabanna were chaotic as police intercepted the protest march. Riot control measures, including teargas, water cannons, and batons, were employed to prevent the protesters from reaching the secretariat. Some protesters reportedly threw stones at the police.
The protest march was conducted without permission, and the ruling Trinamool Congress accused the organizers of attempting to incite violence. In response, the Kolkata Police heavily fortified Nabanna, deploying around 6,000 personnel, using drones for surveillance, and reinforcing barricades to prevent scaling.
This morning, protesters gathered at College Square and marched towards Nabanna, demanding Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s resignation over the rape and murder case. They were seen shaking barricades obstructing their path.
While the Trinamool Congress claims the protest is BJP-backed, the organizers assert it is led by student groups. Several known student organizations, including those affiliated with political parties, have distanced themselves from the protest.
Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari reported that four student activists involved in the protest, who were distributing food to volunteers at Howrah Station, went missing after midnight. “Subhojit Ghosh, Pulokesh Pandit, Goutam Senapati, and Pritam Sarkar, who were distributing supplies, have disappeared. We fear they may have been detained by the police. If anything happens to them, Mamata’s police will be held accountable,” Adhikari said on X.
The Bengal police responded by stating that the four were allegedly involved in planning violence and conspiracy. “They have been detained for public safety and their families have been notified,” the police said. Adhikari added that the families have approached the Calcutta High Court for relief.
One organizer, Shubankar Halder, clarified that he was once associated with ABVP but is no longer connected to the organization. He described the protest as apolitical.
In an evening press conference, Trinamool leader and Bengal minister Chandrima Bhattacharya dismissed the protest as a “flop show.” She criticized the BJP’s strike call, saying, “We have witnessed the police’s restraint despite provocation. The BJP’s strike call is a political move to gain ground, but it will not succeed.”
Bhattacharya accused the BJP and ABVP of attempting to create disorder. “This is a BJP-ABVP plot to incite violence. They are playing vulture politics by staging disruptions during exams,” she said.
The Trinamool Congress released two videos, which NDTV has not verified, suggesting a plot to create unrest. Jayprakash Majumdar, a Trinamool leader, claimed, “The BJP leadership has been told that unless a major incident occurs, like Nandigram, with casualties, their political fortunes will not improve.”
