Bangla Bandh Today: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has called for a 12-hour Bangla bandh on Wednesday. The West Bengal unit of the BJP called a Bandh condemning the police action on protestors who took part in the march to the state secretariat Nabanna on Tuesday over the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata's RG Kar murder case.
The BJP has announced bandh from 6 am to 6 pm on August 28. According to ABP Ananda, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed in Calcutta High Court to declare the 12-hour bandh called by the BJP illegal on Wednesday.
Union Minister and WB BJP president Sukanta Majumdar on Tuesday said, "West Bengal BJP calls a 12-hour West Bengal bandh tomorrow".
On the 'Nabanna Abhiyaan' rally in Kolkata, Union Minister and BJP national president JP Nadda said on Tuesday, "Keeping in mind the sentiments of the common citizens, Bharatiya Janata Party has called for a Bengal bandh for 12 hours from 6 am tomorrow. I am confident that the people of Bengal will stand with us and will leave no stone unturned to shatter the pride of Mamata Banerjee and create an environment to overthrow such an oppressive government."
Bangla Bandh: What’s Open, What’s Closed?
The saffron party has called on business organisations to keep markets closed in view of the Bandh.
However, the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government has said that life will remain normal tomorrow as the government opposes the bandh. Buses and other public transport are expected to ply normally as well. Following the Bangla Bandh, public transport and private offices might see some disruptions, according to media reports.
Despite the Bangla Bandh, government offices, banks, schools, colleges, and petrol pumps are likely to remain open, according to an Economic Times report. Essential services like medical care, drinking water, public transport, rail services, and electricity are also expected to operate normally.
Violence In Kolkata Amid 'Nabanna Abhijan' March
Chaotic scenes were witnessed on streets in Kolkata and adjacent Howrah Bridge after the 'Nabanna Abhijan' march against the Kolkata rape and murder case turned violent on Tuesday.
Large-scale violence marred the cries for justice for the RG Kr hospital victim after protestors, aiming to reach the West Bengal state secretariat, Nabanna, fought pitched battles with the police at multiple stoppage points.
The violence lasted for nearly four hours. It left several people injured on both sides, with senior police officers and women protestors among those who sustained injuries.
More than 200 people were arrested from across the state, police said. Protestors took to the incessant pelting of stones and glass bottles on the police at several spots where their progress was stopped. Fifteen personnel of the Kolkata Police and 14 from the state police force were injured in the clashes, police said.
Police resorted to large-scale lathi-charge, unleashed water cannons, and lobbed tear gas shells to disperse the aggressive crowd who poured in from multiple converging points at Nabanna. BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari alleged that over 160 protestors, including 17 women, suffered injuries in the police action.
The rally, organised by student platform 'Chhatrasamaj' and 'Sangrami Joutha Mancha' of state government employees, began from two locations - College Square in north Kolkata and Santragachi in Howrah.