The death of two youth in alleged police firing at Islampur in Uttar Dinajpur district of West Bengal earlier this week has erupted into a political controversy, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday calling a Statewide bandh on September 26.
State BJP leader Pratap Banerjee said the party called the bandh to protest against the killing of the youth and the murder of BJP supporters in Purulia.
The district police have denied opening fire on the protesting students and locals at Daribhit High School in Islampur.
“Initially, we had decided to conduct a march to Nabanna [the State Secretariat] on September 26, but after the death of the two students in Islampur and the earlier deaths in Purulia, we cancelled the march and called a 12-hour Bangla bandh,” Mr. Banerjee said.
Protest turns violent
Protests over the appointment of teachers at the State-run school turned violent on Wednesday. The students were demanding that teachers be appointed for subjects other than Sanskrit and Urdu. The two deceased, who suffered bullet injuries, are former students of the school.
‘Communal angle’
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is in Europe, said there would not be any bandh in the State on September 26. She said teachers for Sankstrit and Urdu were appointed as per the requirement of the school.
“The BJP is trying to give a communal angle to the developments. If they have no opposition to Sanskrit teachers, what is the problem with Urdu? I appeal to the students not to fall into their trap,” Ms. Banerjee said.
Meanwhile, the leadership of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) held a press conference, venting its ire at Education Minister Partha Chatterjee, who blamed the RSS for the unrest at the school.
“Education Minister Partha Chatterjee said the RSS was involved in the incident. He should explain on what basis he is making such an allegation, failing which he has to tender an unconditional apology for his remark,” Jishnu Basu, general secretary of the RSS in south Bengal, said.
The RSS has also demanded a CBI investigation in the case.
