The BJP called for a 12-hour strike in West Bengal to protest police action against a march to the state secretariat, Nabanna. The march was organized in response to the rape and murder of a doctor in Kolkata. BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar stated the strike was necessary due to the government’s unresponsiveness to demands for justice and the police’s actions against peaceful protesters.
Chaotic scenes unfolded as police used tear gas, water cannons, and batons to stop protesters from reaching Nabanna. Protesters also threw stones at police. The protest march lacked permission, and the ruling Trinamool Congress alleged a conspiracy to incite violence.
Kolkata Police deployed 6,000 personnel, used drones for surveillance, and reinforced barricades to prevent protesters from reaching the secretariat. Protesters gathered at College Square and marched towards Nabanna, demanding Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s resignation.
While the Trinamool Congress claims the protest is BJP-backed, organizers insist it is a student-led demonstration. However, many established student organizations have distanced themselves from the protest. Opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari reported four student activists involved in the protest went missing. He accused the police of arresting or detaining them.
Bengal police responded that the four were arrested for planning large-scale violence and were involved in a conspiracy of murder and attempted murder. They stated the families had been informed. Adhikari then said the families have approached the Calcutta High Court.
One organizer, Shubankar Halder, a former ABVP member, stated the protest is apolitical. Trinamool leader Chandrima Bhattacharya dismissed the protest as a “flop show” and condemned the BJP’s strike call, stating Bengal has not seen a strike in years and the BJP is using this to gain political ground.
The Trinamool Congress released videos, the authenticity of which is unverified, alleging a plot to create unrest. In the videos, men are heard saying “we need bodies.” Trinamool leader Jayprakash Majumdar accused the BJP of needing a “Nandigram-type incident” with fatalities to gain favor. The Trinamool Congress had previously warned of a BJP-ABVP plot to create disturbances and potentially instigate violence during the protest. They expressed concern about the timing of the protest coinciding with exams.
