On Wednesday, 28th August, the BJP leaders in the state of West Bengal called for a 12-hour strike a day after the Kolkata Police targeted the peaceful protestors and used water canons, tear gas shells, and resorted to lathi charges. The peaceful demonstrators at the Howrah Bridge area close to Santragachhi Railway station on the Kona Expressway were demanding the removal of CM Mamata Banerjee from her position given her failure to take action against the culprits in the Kolkata rape and murder case.
As per the reports, the Bangla Bandh has been called from 6 am to 6 pm as another protest against the police personnel who attacked the protesting individuals approaching the state secretariat ‘Nabbana’ yesterday. As per the reports, the police action injured several students. Meanwhile the enraged demonstrators also at Santragachhi reportedly clashed with the police. Police claimed on Tuesday, 27th August that they began lathi charges and tear gas canons only after agitators breached barricades in several areas and allegedly attacked security personnel. Chaos is said to have developed when the student organization ‘Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj’ and the dissident State government employees’ platform ‘Sangrami Joutha Mancha’ launched their ‘Nabanna Abhijan’ rally from various locations.
Suvendu Adhikari, the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, asserted that police used “brutal repression” against peaceful protesters and warned to halt West Bengal if the “brutalities” by the State administration continued. “Police are using water cannons on peaceful protestors in Santragachi, bursting tear gas shells on students at Howrah Bridge, and lathi charging them on College Street. Please put an end to these brutalities immediately,” the senior BJP leader told reporters. Adhikari went on to say, “If the police repression is not stopped immediately, We (BJP) will stall West Bengal tomorrow.”
Accordingly, the BJP launched a 12-hour strike today. Notably, amid the ‘Bangla Bandh’ strike, several BJP leaders or persons associated with the party are facing attack at the hands of the TMC goons. In an early update, BJP leaders took to X to share the visuals of the bullet-riddled windshield of BJP’s Priyangu Pandey’s car, alleging that an assassination attempt was carried out by members of the state’s ruling Trinamool Congress dispensation against their party’s prominent leader amid the strike.
BJP leader Arjun Singh shared a video of the attack and asserted that the attack took place in the presence of a senior Bengal police officer. “This morning, criminals backed by TMC leaders hurled bombs and fired bullets on the SUV targeting BJP worker Priyangu Pandey while he was on the way to my office for a party program. Fortunately, Priyangu has received no injury but his driver Ravi Verma, and another party worker Ravi Singh have received bullet injuries. Ravi Singh is critical and has been referred to a hospital in Kolkata. This attack was done in a planned manner with a nexus of criminals and Police,” Singh alleged.
This morning, criminals backed by @AITCofficial leaders hurled bombs and fired bullets on the SUV targeting @BJP4Bengal worker Priyangu Pandey while he was on the way to my office for a party program. Fortunately, Priyangu has received no injury but his driver Ravi Verma and… pic.twitter.com/DtmOa8cpiF
— Arjun Singh (@ArjunsinghWB) August 28, 2024
Arjun Singh also confirmed to the media that seven bullets were fired at the vehicle in an alleged assassination bid. He also said that the attack was carried out in the presence of the ACP. Leader of the Opposition in Bengal, Suvendu Adhikari also shared the video and said that the “toxic cocktail of Police & TMC Goons won’t be able to scare BJP.”
Meanwhile, the police recovered empty bomb shells from near the spot where BJP leader Priyangu Pandey was attacked in Bhatpara of North 24 Parganas. In another development, BJP leader Locket Chatterjee was detained by police while participating in a protest at Kolkata’s Bata Chowk. The protest was organized following the BJP’s call for a 12-hour ‘Bharat Bandh.’
Chatterjee commented on the detention, stating, “Nothing will change; the more they detain, the more people will join the protest. This reflects public anger. The police can detain people but cannot stifle the idea behind the protest.”
#WATCH | West Bengal | BJP leader Locket Chatterjee says, "Nothing will happen, the more they detain, the more people will join the protest. This is the anger of people and they are on the road. Police can detain people but not to the idea." https://t.co/eO7pqFsmx4 pic.twitter.com/8OBnhncWJq
— ANI (@ANI) August 28, 2024
Police have also detained BJP Councillor Sajal Ghosh from his residence. He was peacefully appealing to all to support the Bangla Bandh. The video of the leader’s detention is making rounds on social media.
Police have detained BJP Councillor Sajal Ghosh from his residence. He was peacefully appealing to all to support the Bangla Bandh. pic.twitter.com/Sg7oQiLp6p
— Sudhanidhi Bandyopadhyay (@SudhanidhiB) August 28, 2024
The Police are also said to have lathi-charged the fired tear gas shells on peaceful demonstrators at Reyapara; Nandigram Block II. Several people who supported the Bandh provoked the Mamata Banerjee-led administration to resort to lathi charges as alleged by BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari. Adhikari shared the video of the incident on X and warned, “Mamata Banerjee remember this, the more you apply force the more BJP will be on course, demanding #JusticeForRGKar and your resignation.”
Mamata Police brutality lathi charged and fired tear gas shells on peaceful demonstrators at Reyapara; Nandigram Block II. The local people supported the Bandh which infuriated the Mamata Police.
— Suvendu Adhikari (@SuvenduWB) August 28, 2024
I went to meet the injured at the Reyapara Hospital and enquired about their well… pic.twitter.com/hmwMCY4Sqn
He shared this as he walked with BJP Karyakartas at Nandigram in support of the state-wide Bandh. He stated that the “Bandh called by BJP is to protest against the state-sponsored efforts to derail the RG Kar investigation & protect the perpetrators of the heinous crime and the incessant lathi charge and use of brute force, tear gas & water canons on the agitators who were marching peacefully yesterday during the Nabanna Abhiyan of the Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj.”
Walked alongside @BJP4Bengal Karyakartas at Nandigram in support of the state wide Bandh called by BJP to protest against the state sponsored efforts to derail the RG Kar investigation & protect the perpetrators of the heinous crime and the incessant lathi charge and use of brute… pic.twitter.com/h1QQcRcEJV
— Suvendu Adhikari (@SuvenduWB) August 28, 2024
Another video regarding the Bandh was shared on social media by one of the local journalists. He stated that the BJP leaders were beaten by miscreants for imposing a state-wide bandh and indicated that the protestors didn’t deserve the assault. “Bandh culture has gone from #Bengal. Here people are beating @BJP4Bengal workers for imposing Bangla Bandh and creating problems for common people,” Spandan Gain posted on X.
The miscreants in the video could be seen assaulting the BJP workers holding the party flag high. The BJP workers could be seen beaten for allegedly protesting against the police action on Tuesday, 27th August.
Bandh culture has gone from #Bengal. Here people are beating @BJP4Bengal workers for imposing Bangla Bandh and creating problems for common people. pic.twitter.com/gluiz2rmcw
— Spandan Gain (@GainSpandanLIVE) August 28, 2024
It is important to note that ‘Bangla Bandh’, the strike called by the BJP has received mass support from all over the state with people keeping their businesses closed and demanding the removal of Mamata Banerjee for her failure to give justice to the horrific Kolkata rape-murder case.
Bird eye of Kolkata's Chittaranjan Avenue. One of the busiest roads for daily office commute. BJP's Bangla Bandh has received a very large support today from all quaters. pic.twitter.com/teM0oLcxy3
— Sudhanidhi Bandyopadhyay (@SudhanidhiB) August 28, 2024
As a part of the Bandh, the BJP leaders have shut down Howrah Maidan Metro Station, Konnagar Station and Bongaon Station. All shops are closed in proximity. BJP Leader Koustav Bagchi has also blocked the Barrackpore rail Station demanding the removal of the Mamata administration. The video of the leader raising slogans against the TMC govt is making rounds on social media.
Barrackpore Station Rail Blockade in presence of BJP Leader Koustav Bagchi in support of the 12-Hour Bangla Bandh pic.twitter.com/cSmOgiUqi6
— Sudhanidhi Bandyopadhyay (@SudhanidhiB) August 28, 2024
The bandh, which began at 6 am, has further seen deserted streets in Kolkata, Siliguri, and Medinipur, with shops and marketplaces remaining closed. Reportedly, clashes are believed to have happened in the Maldah region of the state between the BJP workers and the TMC goons in the presence of the police.
BJP and TMC workers clash in #Maldah during 12-hour #banglabandh called by BJP . pic.twitter.com/ko6uLemsCY
— Mokter Hossain Monda (@MondaMokter) August 28, 2024
The BJP leaders have called for the strike after the police personnel attacked the protesting individuals yesterday at the state secretariat ‘Nabbana’. As per the reports, the police action injured several students. Meanwhile the enraged demonstrators also at Santragachhi reportedly clashed with the police. The student organization ‘Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj’ and the dissident State government employees’ platform ‘Sangrami Joutha Mancha’ launched their ‘Nabanna Abhijan’ rally from various locations demanding the removal of Mamata Banerjee from the CM post given her failure to provide justice to the 31-year-old doctor who was brutally raped and murdered in Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College on 9th August.
RG Kar Medical College Rape and Murder Case
On 9th August, a semi-nude, brutalized body of a female PG trainee doctor was found inside the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. It is a government-run hospital. The gruesome murder of a PG doctor at her own workplace soon became a nationwide issue, especially with the people reacting strongly to the Bengal govt, and the hospital’s initial attempts to cover up the case. The victim’s family narrated that they were initially told their daughter had committed suicide.
The doctor had dinner with four of her coworkers at 2:30 am that night after seeing Neeraj Chopra’s javelin throw event during the Paris Olympics. Afterward, she went to the seminar hall to relax. The main accused in the case, Sanjay Roy, had access to every department as he worked at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital police outpost. He was not affiliated with the institution but often went there. CCTV evidence shows him entering the premises where the doctor was discovered, which led to his arrest on 10th August. He returned home after committing the horrifying act and slept in late. Roy also cleaned the outfit he wore to remove any evidence. The police recovered his bloodstained shoes during a search.
The Doctor was brutally tortured before she was suffocated to death, according to the post-mortem report. The four-page report stated that she had been strangled and that “perverted sexuality” and “genital torture” had resulted in serious wounds in her private parts.
According to sources, the Doctor’s head was slammed against a wall or the floor resulting in severe injuries, and her mouth and nose were squeezed shut to stop the victim from shouting. The accused had reportedly beaten her up as she attempted to defend herself and resist. He then raped and killed her. According to the autopsy, the girl’s hands and face had cuts on them. Shards of glass from her spectacles broke and got into her eyes following an intense blow. The initial postmortem report ruled out suicide and stated that the trainee doctor had been sexually assaulted before being murdered.
The Bandh organized by BJP continues statewide today till 6 pm.
