On Tuesday, the streets of Kolkata and Howrah turned into battlegrounds as clashes erupted between the police and demonstrators during the Nabanna Abhijan rally, led by the BJP and the newly-formed student group, Paschimbanga Chhatra Samaj. The protesters, joined by members of the Sangrami Joutha Mancha (a group of state government employees), aimed to march towards the West Bengal secretariat, Nabanna, to demand the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Their call for action stemmed from the alleged rape and murder of a doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital earlier this month, an incident that has sparked widespread outrage and protests across the state.
The rally began with protesters gathering at various points in the city, with the aim of heading towards Nabanna. However, the Kolkata police had declared the rally “illegal” and “unauthorised” in anticipation of potential violence and public disorder. Despite this, the protesters pressed on, leading to a standoff with the police, who had set up barricades to prevent the marchers from reaching their destination. As demonstrators attempted to breach the barricades, the situation quickly escalated into chaos. The police responded with tear gas and lathi charges in an effort to disperse the crowd and restore order.
One of the key demands of the rally was the release of students who had been arrested during the protests. As protesters made their way towards the Kolkata Police headquarters at Lalbazar, tensions mounted further. The police crackdown intensified, with more than 200 people arrested during the clashes. Several key locations, including MG Road, Hastings Road, Princep Ghat, Santragachi, and Howrah Maidan, became flashpoints of violence, leaving numerous protesters and 29 police personnel injured in the mayhem.
BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar led the march, but the confrontation took a toll on him as he was affected by tear gas and had to leave the scene due to illness. His departure did little to calm the situation, as the BJP continued to demand the immediate and unconditional release of the detained students. The rally, which had started as a protest against the alleged rape and murder, had now evolved into a broader movement against the state’s handling of dissent and the alleged suppression of democratic freedoms.
West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose intervened by urging the state government to respect the right to peaceful student protests. He referenced the Supreme Courtโs position on democratic freedoms, emphasizing the importance of allowing citizens to voice their concerns without fear of repression. This message was directed at the state government, which has faced criticism for its heavy-handed approach to the protests.
The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) dismissed the protests as a politically motivated stunt by the BJP to create unrest in the state. TMC MP Mahua Moitra went so far as to label the protesters as “goons” who had deliberately provoked a police response. She defended the police action, arguing that the officers had acted within their rights to maintain law and order.
In response to the police crackdown, the BJP announced a general strike, or bandh, for Wednesday, August 28. The party called for a statewide shutdown to protest what they described as an attack on democratic rights and the unlawful detention of students. The bandh was seen as an escalation of the political tension in the state, with both the BJP and the TMC trading accusations of inciting violence and unrest.
While the BJPโs call for a bandh received support from its followers, the Trinamool Congress condemned the move, accusing the BJP of trying to destabilize the state. The TMC argued that the bandh was an attempt to create chaos and disrupt daily life in West Bengal, further polarizing the political atmosphere in the state.
The Nabanna Abhijan rally and the ensuing clashes have exposed the deep political and social divisions in West Bengal. The ongoing protests and the BJP’s bandh call are likely to keep tensions high in the coming days, as both sides continue to fight for control of the narrative surrounding the alleged rape and murder, as well as the broader issue of governance and dissent in the state. The situation remains fluid, with both the BJP and TMC unwilling to back down, and the people of West Bengal caught in the middle of an increasingly volatile political landscape.
