Kolkata (West Bengal) [India] August 28 : Kolkata police have detained BJP leader Locket Chatterjee who joined the ’12-hour Bengal bandh’ protest in West Bengal, following the Nabanna Abhijan violence. Locket Chatterjee along with BJP workers were protesting at Kolkata’s Bata Chowk.
“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.” Locket Chatterjee said while being detained.
Meanwhile, BJP leader Rupa Ganguly also joined the 12-hour ‘Bengal Bandh’. She urged the commuters to be part of the protest that demanded the resignation of CM Mamata Banerjee. BJP has called for a ’12-hour Bengal Bandh’ after Kolkata police resorted to lathi charge, the use of water cannons and tear gas against the protestors in Nabanna Abhijan Rally. Authorities have tightened security in Kolkata in the wake of the 12-hour ‘Bengal Bandh’ call by the BJP.
Dendup Sherpa, Additional Superintendent of Police (SP), Uttar Dinajpur, a district in West Bengal, told ANI, “Police personnel are deployed everywhere to maintain Law and Order in the state.” Anticipating violence, the administration has instructed drivers and conductors of the government buses in Kolkata to wear helmets. Following instruction from the administration, the drivers of North Bengal State Transport Corporation (NBSTC) buses were seen wearing helmets, in Cooch Behar.
The ruling Trinamool Congress have accused the BJP of attacking the Police on Tuesday and trying to create anarchy in the state “We all want justice in the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case. Mamata Banerjee also wants justice…the case is now in CBI’s hands…One accused has been arrested…now the CBI is investigating the matter…They (BJP) are trying to create anarchy here, yesterday they attacked the police and today they have called this bandh…Everything is normal in Bengal…The people of West Bengal have rejected BJP’s bandh,” said TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh.
On August 27, chaos broke out in the streets of Kolkata. Security personnel lobbed tear gas shells, used water cannons and resorted to lathicharge to disperse protestors on the Howrah Bridge marching towards the West Bengal State Secretariat Nabanna, amidst the row over the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case. The murder and alleged sexual assault of a female trainee doctor on August 9 at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital caused national outrage and many rallies have been held in different states of the country.