Nabanna march highlights: Police use water cannons, tear gas at Howrah Bridge; BJP calls for 12-hr general strike in Bengal on Wednesday

During the rally styled as Nabanna Chalo by the members and supporters of “Paschimbanga Chhatra Samaj”, 126 [Male 103+ Female 23] were arrested. 

Total number of injured police personnel went up to 15. 

The West Bengal police on Tuesday said 94 people have been arrested because of the rally in Nabanna. About 25 of them were arrested overnight, they said. 

The situation could have been infinitely worse, had we not made preventive arrests said Supratim Sarkar, Inspector General (South Bengal) West Bengal Police. 

The BJP demanded the release of students arrested during a march towards state secretariat Nabanna on Tuesday demanding resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the wake of the alleged rape and murder of a doctor.

BJP State president Sukanta Majumdar, who later led a rally to police headquarters Lalbazar to meet the Police Commissioner, was prevented by the force.

PTI

Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said he is not able to understand why excessive arrangements have been made to prevent the protest.

Watch his response given to ANI:

J.P. Nadda condemned the police’s action against the protesters. He said it’s a crime to speak for women’s safety in Mamata Banerjee’s West Bengal.

See the tweet by Mr. Nadda

BJP called for a 12-hour general strike in West Bengal on August 28 to protest against the police action on those who took part in the march to the state secretariat Nabbana.

“We are forced to give the call for a general strike as this autocratic regime is turning a deaf ear to the voices of people, the demand for justice for the deceased doctor sister. Instead of justice, Mamata Banerjee’s police are turning on the peace-loving people of the state, who only wanted a safe and secure environment for women,” BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar said.

Indira Mukherjee, Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Central Division, Kolkata Police said, “We will see whatever happens, there is no problem.”

She said they would count the number of arrests later.

Watch this video by ANI:

BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla took a jibe at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and said that if so much security had been provided at the RG Kar hospital then it would not have been desecrated by miscreants on the night of August 14.

He said this after tear gas shells, and water cannons were used and protesters marching towards the West Bengal State Secretariat Nabanna were lathi-charged by security personnel.

“Three-tier security has been provided and 6,000 policemen have been deployed. If so much security had been given at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital then the crime scene would not have been desecrated. If so much security had been provided at the college then there would not have been injustice with the trainee doctor...” he said.

Protestors broke barricades, stomped on them chanted slogans and agitated over RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case.

See this video by ANI:

Fresh clashes broke out between police and protestors on GT Road in Howrah Maidan area when they tried to march towards the state secretariat.

Police lathi-charged and used water cannons and tear gas to disperse protestors who threw stones and bricks at the security forces and attempted to topple barricades blocking their way to the state secretariat.

A policeman, who identified himself as the in-charge of Chanditala police station in Howrah Police Commissionerate, was injured in the clash.

A similar situation unfolded in Hastings and MG Road area, where protestors threw stones at police, who were seen chasing them away.

- PTI

The organiser of the march Chhatra Samaj has said no BJP leader or leader of any other political parties will be in the forefront of their apolitical protest rally demanding ouster of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for her alleged failure to ensure safety of women.

-PTI

Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari alleged that police resorted to “brutal repression” on the peaceful participants of ‘Nabanna Abhijan’ rally in the city and Howrah and threatened to stall West Bengal if the “brutalities” by State administration was not stopped.

“Police is using water cannon on peaceful protestors at Santragachi, burst tear gas shells on the students at Howrah Bridge, lathicharged them at College Street. Please stop these brutalities immediately,” the senior BJP leader told reporters.

Mr. Adhikari said, “If the police repression is not stopped immediately, We (BJP) will stall West Bengal tomorrow”.

-PTI

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Check gates at the backside of Fort William at Hastings, being greased by civic volunteers, in an attempt to likely thwart protesters from scaling the barricades.

Student organisation ‘Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj’ and the ‘Sangrami Joutha Mancha’ are set to carry out the rally. 

Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj is an unregistered student group, while Sangrami Joutha Mancha represents State government employees who are advocating for their Dearness Allowance (DA) to be aligned with that of Central government employees.

Meanwhile, The State police have termed the rally “illegal” and “unauthorized,” citing concerns over potential violence and public disorder.

- PTI

West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose says, “In the context of the peaceful protest announced by the student community of West Bengal and the reported suppression of the protest by certain instructions from the government, I would urge upon the government to remember the strong pronouncement of the Supreme Court of India.” 

He further adds, “Let not the power of the state of West Bengal be unleashed on peaceful protesters. Democracy can have a silent majority, not a silenced majority. Remember that,”. 

Ahead of the demonstration, the police deploy the Vajra vehicle, water cannons, and Riot Control Force in the area while containers are placed to block the roads.

Kolkata Police has also issued a traffic advisory and made diversions for several routes connecting the city to various regions.

West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front says in an official statement, “We have heard about the August 27 rally from media outlets. We from WBJDF want to clarify that this rally is not organised or called by us. We are not participating in this rally in any form.”

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The student organisation are using slogans from Bangladesh for its march to the Secretariat. “ Dafa Ek, Daabi Ek, Mamataar Podotyag (One point, one demand, resignation of Mamata)” is one of the slogans raised by those who have given a call for the rally. 

BJP leader Dilip Ghosh says, “What right does the police have to call it legal or illegal? In a democratic country, anyone can protest. The Supreme Court has also said that if a peaceful protest or march is taken out the police cannot hinder it...” 

- ANI

The march to State secretariat Nabanna will not inconvenience candidates of UGC-NET as the examination would be held in two shifts, organiser Chatra Samaj claims. 

Chatra Samaj spokesperson Sayan Lahiri says, “Our non-violent democratic protest will not affect the candidates. Since the exams will be held in two sessions, the candidates will hopefully not face any difficulty if they appear in the first session.”

-PTI