West Bengal Bandh August 28: highlights

The BJP said President Droupadi Murmu’s remarks on crimes against women reflect the gravity of the issue and it’s time to rise above party politics and ensure that justice is done in such cases.

The BJP’s reaction came after Murmu spoke out for the first time on the rape and murder of a doctor in Kolkata and expressed her anguish at continuing crimes against women.

Declaring that “enough is enough”, she said it is time for India to wake up to the “perversion” of crimes against women and counter the mindset that sees women as “less powerful, less capable, less intelligent”.

“The gravity and depth of the issue can be understood from the statement of the president. The president is the first citizen of the country,” BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi told a press conference at the party headquarters in Delhi.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) suspended the membership of former RG Kar Medical College and Hospital principal Dr. Sandip Ghosh, amid a CBI probe into the rape and murder case.

The decision to suspend the IMA membership of Dr. Ghosh, who is the vice president of the association’s Kolkata branch, was taken by its disciplinary committee.

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The agitating junior doctors in West Bengal, who have been continuing cease work for 20 days to protest against the rape and murder incident rejected Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s appeal to join duty.

A member of the West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Forum said they would not withdraw the agitation unless their demands, such as justice for the deceased postgraduate trainee, were met.

They also demanded the suspension of Dr Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, from the health services and the same action against the Kolkata police commissioner.

The doctor’s forum took out a rally in Shyambazar area in the northern part of Kolkata to press their demands.

“We are glad to know that the chief minister is supporting our cause. We want to return to work but that is not possible now as our demands are yet to be met,” the forum member said.

- PTI

BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi said, “...After the attempt to mislead the probe, save accused and destroy evidence, now a new strategy to threaten Doctors can be seen...”

He also said that Mamata Banerjee has straight away threatened Doctors.

Watch this ANI video:

Night patrolling on hospital premises and regulating access for people to key areas are among the measures the Centre has asked States to implement to ensure the safety of medics at workplaces, following Supreme Court orders in the rape-murder case.

Read the full story:

'Night patrol, access control': Centre suggests measures to States on safety of medics

Nationwide protests by doctors prompt Supreme Court orders for enhanced security measures at hospitals to protect healthcare workers.

BJP workers clashed with the police at several places across West Bengal as they tried to enforce a 12-hour shutdown, which had a mixed impact in the state.

- PTI

Several BJP leaders, including former MPs Roopa Ganguly and Locket Chatterjee, Rajya Sabha MP Samik Bhattacharya and MLA Agnimitra Paul, were detained for blocking roads since the morning.

Amid the BJP’s 12-hour ‘Bengal Bandh,’ the party’s Jalpaiguri MP Jayanta Kumar Roy’s car was allegedly gheraoed by the TMC workers in Siliguri.

A stone was also reportedly pelted at the Jalpaiguri Lok Sabha MP’s car, who left the spot after a while. Police personnel were also present at the spot. - ANI

Declaring that “enough is enough”, President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday (August 28, 2024) said it is time for India to wake up to the “perversion” of crimes against women and counter the mindset that sees women as “less powerful, less capable, less intelligent”.

“Those who share such views then go further and see the female as an object… We owe it to our daughters to remove the hurdles from their path of winning the freedom from fear,” Ms. Murmu said. - PTI

Amid the growing outrage over the alleged murder and sexual assault of a woman trainee doctor in Kolkata, actor-turned-politician Hema Malini strongly condemned the incident and expressed her support for the BJP workers who are protesting against the horrific crime. 

“What happened in Bengal is so wrong. Action should be taken... BJP workers are protesting over it and that is, indeed, right...An atrocity against a woman took place and action should be taken at the earliest,” the actor-turned politician said.

“I request Mamata ji (West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee) to facilitate what is right in this regard and not delay it. The entire country is waiting...The perpetrator should indeed be punished....,” she said. - ANI

Union Minister and West Bengal BJP President Sukanta Majumdar staged a sit-in protest on the road at Baguiati in Kolkata during the 12-hour ‘Bengal Bandh’ called by BJP in Bengal.

During the protest, Sukanta Majumdar spoke with reporters and said that the protest has transformed now into a people’s movement and their demand is the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

He said, “Police have turned into goons of Mamata Banerjee. These goons are attacking BJP workers. We are protesting for the youths. There are no jobs for the youth. Mamata Banerjee’s police are not allowing us to conduct any peaceful protest in a democratic way. They are unable to maintain the law and order. They are creating hegemony in the State. They are arresting the BJP workers in an unlawful way. We will continue with our protest. This protest has transformed into a people’s movement. We demand the resignation of CM Mamata Banerjee.” - ANI

Demanding enactment of stricter anti-rape laws by the Centre, TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee said he will move a private member’s Bill in the Lok Sabha.

The TMC national general secretary said that if the Centre “fails” to enact a stricter law that would ensure quick trial and sentencing of those found guilty, he will lead protests in Delhi. “Our only demand is stricter anti-rape legislation,” the TMC MP said, addressing a Trinamool Congress students’ wing rally on its foundation day.

He said that the TMC will take to the streets if the Centre does not enact a new law to ensure a time-bound trial and sentencing of the accused found guilty of rape charges. “If the Central government does not enact this law, I will move a private member’s Bill for the new law,” he said.

Mr. Banerjee said the TMC was demanding justice and quick trial and sentencing in the rape and murder of a woman trainee doctor in R G Kar Medical College and Hospital. He said that if this government could impose lockdown or notebandi in a day, why cannot they introduce stricter anti-rape laws. - PTI

The West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Forum held a protest rally in Kolkata demanding justice for a fellow doctor who was allegedly raped and murdered at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital on 9 August. The rally coincides with the BJP’s call for a 12-hour Bangla Bandh across West Bengal and is meant to highlight the growing frustration within the medical community over the need for improved safety measures and swift justice.

Ahead of the rally, Dr. Mazumder of R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital said, “Earlier our protest march was only for doctors, but today we have called everyone to join us...Yesterday, none of our doctors were present...” - ANI

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee condemned BJP’s 12-hour ‘Bengal Bandh’ and called it an attempt to “defame” West Bengal.

“We have dedicated this day to the R.G. Kar doctor. We want justice but BJP today called for a bandh. They don’t want justice, they are only trying to defame Bengal,” Mamata Banerjee said.

She further criticised the ‘Bandh’ and supported the police actions on the protestors of Nabanna Abhijan rally.

-ANI

The Calcutta High Court today dismissed a plea against the 12-hour ‘Bangla Bandh’ called by the BJP since the petitioner was debarred perpetually from filing public interest litigations (PIL) before the court in a previous order.

Petitioner Sanjoy Das, who claimed to be a lawyer practising at the high court, sought that the bandh be declared illegal.

-PTI

“Next week, we will call an Assembly session and pass a Bill within 10 days to ensure capital punishment for rapists. We will send this Bill to the Governor. If he doesn’t pass, we will sit outside Raj Bhavan. This Bill must be passed and he cannot evade accountability this time,” says West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. 

Bill for capital punishment for rapists to be passed in West Bengal assembly, says Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee plans to pass a Bill for capital punishment for rapists, despite Governor's expected opposition.

Amid the growing outrage over the alleged murder and sexual assault of a female trainee doctor in Kolkata, Senior Congress leader Pawan Khera reiterated the demand for more strict laws on rape and called on the ruling party at the Centre for holding discussions over the issue. 

“...We are constantly demanding that either make the law more strict (for incidents like rape) or take opinions from all of us, sit together and talk, and behave like a responsible ruling political party. You (BJP) do selective outrage...,” he said, referring to growing protests over the Kolkata incident.

“You [BJP-led Centre] should take steps in that direction on how we can implement the law strongly, so that the crimes against women, which are constantly increasing, can be reduced...,” Pawan Khera added. He was responding to the recent incidents of rape reported across the country, including the alleged sexual assault of a trainee doctor at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, West Bengal. - ANI

Congress MP Manickam Tagore hit out at the BJP and alleged that it was politicising the rape and murder case of the trainee woman doctor at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital for political gains stating that doing so would not help anyone.

Mr. Tagore said, “We all know that the Bengal doctor’s rape case is very sensitive and now after the Supreme Court intervention it has come to the CBI. We should all try to wait for the correct investigation to happen and the truth should come out. Politicising it for political gains is not going to help anybody.”

He further said that all governments should work for the safety of women and take it as a high priority. “Government should take the rape crime as a serious mission. Instead of giving speeches, real corrective steps are required by the Modi government. Political parties must take strong actions against people involved in such cases,” the Congress MP said. - ANI

Union Minister Lalan Singh held West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee responsible for police action, on the protesters, that took place on August 27, over the murder-rape case at R.G. Kar Medical College, Kolkata.

“In West Bengal, there is no government in the place. There is a climate of anarchy. The CM of the State is a woman. But when there is a demonstration against the violence against women, Mamata Banerjee as the Chief Minister, orders a lathi charge and tear gas on the protesters,” he said, referring to August 27 clashes between police and protesters.

“The work done by CPIM earlier is now being done by her [Mamata Banerjee],” he alleged. Replying to a query, he said, “NDA is very strong and NDA is getting stronger. The coming time belongs to NDA ...” - ANI

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut accused the Centre of double standards, stating that the Bengal Bandh was not stopped as there is an anti-BJP government in West Bengal while a similar bandh was stopped in the BJP-led Maharashtra government.

“When we had given a call for bandh, then we were stopped. Because (Prime Minister Narendra) Modiji is running the government here. Here, Amit Shah is running the government. The same incident of sexual assault took place here too,” he told reporters here.” 

“We were stopped. But it (Bengal Bandh) was not stopped, as there is a Mamata Didi government in West Bengal. Anti-BJP government. This is our justice system. Double standard,” Mr. Raut said. The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi had called for a Bandh to protest against the alleged sexual assault of two girls in Maharashtra’s Badlapur earlier in the month. Mr. Raut mentioned that the accused was arrested and the Mamata Banerjee government took the police action in the R.G. Kar Medical and Hospital incident. “Still, the BJP is attacking the police there,” he alleged. - ANI

Exuding his support to the party’s ‘Bengal Bandh’ call, BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar said that the people of Bengal are angry against a sitting Chief Minister and there is no way that she should use police or violence to intimidate the people.

”Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is failing repeatedly to cover the heinous crime against a woman doctor. She has tried to cover up the crime the day it was committed by calling it a suicide. The people of the state are angry against a sitting CM. There is no way that she should use police or violence to intimidate the people. What she should do is to bring the perpetrators to justice and to make sure there is a fair investigation,” Mr. Chandrasekhar said.

- ANI

Reacting to Bharatiya Janata Party’s call for a 12-hour ‘Bengal Bandh’, Trinamool Congress leader Kunal Ghosh said that the people of West Bengal have rejected the “drama of anarchy.”

He termed the bandh as a “failed attempt” to create unrest in the State stating that everything is normal.

Mr. Ghosh said, “We all want justice in the R.G. 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.”

- ANI

The opposition BJP in West Bengal alleged that two of its workers were shot at in Bhatpara in North 24 Parganas district.

Police, however, claimed that the two men were beaten up by some people outside Anglo-India Jute Mill.

The injured persons were taken to the Bhatpara State General Hospital for treatment, they said.

Former BJP MP Arjun Singh alleged that miscreants owing allegiance to the Trinamool Congress fired the shots. The ruling party rejected the allegation.

- PTI

Union Minister and BJP West Bengal President Sukanta Majumdar urged West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose to instruct the state police to release the student activists detained during the ‘Nabanna Abhijan’ protests march and said that detention violates their democratic right to protest.

Saying that an “unspecified number” of students have been detained, Ms. Majumdar asserted that the state police had used excessive force against the peaceful student activists during protests.

- ANI

Even as the BJP continues its 12-hour ‘Bengal Bandh’, party leader Priyangu Pandey claimed that people belonging to TMC attacked and fired on his car in the Bharpara area of North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal.

He also alleged that bombs were thrown on his car and then 6-7 rounds of firing were done.

“Today I was going to our leader Arjun Singh’s residence. We moved some distance and the road was blocked by a jetting machine from Bhatpara Municipality. The moment our car stopped, around 50-60 people targeted the vehicle. 7 to 8 bombs were thrown at my vehicle and then 6-7 round firing was done. This is a joint conspiracy of TMC and the Police. They planned my murder. The police supported and gave information. My security was withdrawn and then this incident happened,” he said.

The BJP leader also mentioned that his driver had been shot at.

- ANI

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her grief and solidarity with the family of a trainee doctor, who was sexually assaulted and murdered at Kolkata’s R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9.

In a post on X, Ms. Banerjee said that she is dedicating the foundation day of Trinamool Chhatra Parishad to the victim of the incident. “Today, on the foundation day of Trinamool Chhatra Parishad, I am dedicating it to our sister, whom we mourned the tragic loss of at R.G. Kar Hospital a few days ago. Expressing our heartfelt condolences and seeking immediate redress for that incident. Our hearts go out to all the women of all ages who have been victims of inhuman incidents. Sorry,” she said in a post in Bengali.

​

The Trinamool Congress party workers on Wednesday staged a protest against BJP’s 12-hour ‘Bengal Bandh’ call.

Train services that were disrupted between Bangaon-Sealdah have also been now being reinstated.

TMC leader Narayan Ghosh said, “They (BJP) want to make poor people suffer. They have come to West Bengal to do dacoity. Common and poor people are with Mamata Banerjee. West Bengal can’t be stopped by doing such things.”

- ANI

Authorities have tightened security in Kolkata in the wake of the Bandh. 

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.

- ANI

Two people were injured as bullets were fired and bombs hurled at Bhatpara in North 24 Parganas.

Daily life was somewhat affected in parts of West Bengal on Wednesday due to the shutdown.

In state capital Kolkata, the usual busyness on the roads on a weekday morning was missing with a lesser number of buses, auto-rickshaws and taxis plying. Private vehicles were also significantly less in numbers, even as markets and shops remained open as usual.

Schools and colleges remained open, while in most private offices, attendance was lesser with employees being asked to work from home.

- PTI

BJP leaders Kaustav Bagchi and Phalguni Patra were arrested by police for trying to enforce the bandh

BJP supporters block trains at 28 places, Railways blockades still on at 12 places.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national spokesperson C.R. Keshavan described the violence following the ‘Nabanna Abhijan’ rally as “vicious, vindictive and inhumane.”

“Brutual mayhem unleashed by Mamata government is vicious and vindictive and inhumane. The ruthless TMC government, yesterday, attempted to cold-bloodily crush and choke our youth students who are crusading for justice.” Mr. Keshavan said.

- ANI

BJP leader Agnimitra Paul lashed out at the Bengal government as she took part in the 12-hour ‘Bengal Bandh’ called by her party on Wednesday.

Speaking to ANI, she said that the police and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led government have become spineless. Ms. Paul also mentioned that the police have invalidated the orders of the Supreme Court.

The BJP leader further said that it is clear that Ms. Banerjee is scared and she wants to stop this student agitation by using the police and administration.”If she was not afraid, she would not have used lathi charge, tear gas. This injustice will not work. Mamata Banerjee is insulting the people who have put her on the throne today,” Ms. Paul added.

- ANI