Kolkata. Clashes broke out between police and protesters in various parts of Kolkata and adjoining Howrah on Tuesday when agitators tried to break down barricades to march towards the state secretariat ‘Nabanna’. The protesters were trying to reach the state secretariat demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in the city earlier this month.
The BJP has called for a general strike on Wednesday to protest the “brutal” police action against peaceful protesters. The ruling Trinamool Congress condemned the decision, claiming that it was aimed at creating anarchy.
More than 200 people were arrested in connection with the rally. Clashes were reported from MG Road, Hastings Road and areas near Prinsep Ghat, Santragachhi and Howrah Maidan in which some protesters and 29 policemen were injured.
Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) told reporters at Nabanna, “Today we handled the situation well because we are fully prepared. Intelligence helped us, otherwise the situation could have been worse. We have arrested 94 people. We arrested 25 others yesterday.” According to Kolkata Police sources, 126 members and supporters of the West Bengal Students’ Union, one of the organisers of the rally, were arrested. Of these, 33 are women.
Police resorted to lathicharge and used water cannon and tear gas to disperse the protesters. The protesters pelted stones at security forces and tried to break down barricades erected to block the road leading to the state secretariat. A policeman, who identified himself as the officer in charge of Chanditala police station of Howrah Police Commissionerate, was injured in the clash.
A female protester said, “Why did the police beat us? We did not break any law. We are holding a peaceful rally to demand justice for the doctor (deceased). Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee should take responsibility and resign.” Police said that when protesters tried to cross the barricades at some places and “attacked” the security personnel, the police had to lathicharge and fire tear gas shells. 15 Kolkata Police and 14 state police personnel were injured in the clashes.
A senior Kolkata Police official said, “We often deal with such unruly crowds. Our officers have handled the situation well. We have detained several people and the law will take its course.” The march to Nabanna was called separately by unregistered student organisations Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj and Sangrami Jautha Manch. Sangrami Jautha Manch is an organisation of state government employees who have been agitating for a long time demanding that their dearness allowance be made equal to that of the central government counterparts.
Senior minister Chandrima Bhattacharya said the police had done a commendable job in controlling the crowds during the ‘Nabanna’ campaign without succumbing to provocation. “The police foiled their plot to take away the body. So they have called for a strike on Wednesday to paralyse Bengal’s booming economy ahead of the Durga Puja festival,” she said.
BJP state president and Union minister Sukanta Majumdar said, “We are forced to call for a general strike from dawn to dusk because this autocratic regime is turning a deaf ear to the voice of the people, demanding justice for the deceased doctor sister. Instead of justice, Mamata Banerjee’s police is attacking the peace-loving people of the state, who only want a safe environment for women.”
Leader of Opposition Shubhendu Adhikari told reporters earlier, “The police committed unimaginable atrocities on the students who were marching peacefully to Nabanna during the day. If Mamata Banerjee’s police treats peaceful democratic protesters like this, we will bring the entire state to a standstill tomorrow.” Reacting to the BJP’s bandh call, senior Trinamool Congress leader Kunal Ghosh said, “We have been saying from the beginning that the Nabanna campaign sponsored by the student society has the support of the BJP.”
He said, “The way miscreants disguised as student protesters caused massive disturbance in the name of peaceful protest today, it was quite expected. This is evident from how the BJP did not waste any time in calling for a bandh.” The West Bengal government said that the administration will ensure that normal life is not affected during the strike which will begin at 6 am.
During the day, police resorted to lathicharge, used water cannon and tear gas to disperse protesters at the Kolkata end of Howrah Bridge and near Santragachi railway station on Kona Expressway.