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PremiumBengal Bandh Highlights: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led 12-hour-long Bandh came into action from 6 am today. The BJP West Bengal unit called for the strike in response to the chaos that gripped the streets of Kolkata amid Nabanna Abhijan protest rally on Tuesday. The saffron party is protesting the police administration's strict action against the protesters on Tuesday.
Union Minister Sukanta Majumder said the bandh was called in opposition to the "violence on the student agitation" during the protest march.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee chief advisor Alapan Bandopadhyay said, "The government will not allow any bandh on Wednesday. We urge people not to participate in it. All steps shall be taken to ensure that normal life is unaffected." Transport services will remain operational, and shops, marketplaces and other business establishments have been asked to remain open, the chief advisor said.
Kolkata police on Tuesday used water cannons to disperse protestors at Santragachi in Howrah during the 'Nabanna Abhijan' march, as they climbed onto and broke through police barricades and clashed with officers.
The protestors also dragged away barricades, prompting police to respond with lathi charges and tear gas.
The rally, which was organized in response to the ongoing controversy surrounding the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, started with people assembling at Santragachi before moving from College Square in Kolkata.
In preparation for the protest, police had established heavy security around the West Bengal state secretariat.
Get all the Kolkata Protest LIVE Updates here on LiveMint.
Bengal Bandh Live: Shops in Siliguri remained close in the view of BJP's 12-hour West Bengal shutdown call. Heavy police deployment on the streets, reported PTI
Bengal Bandh LIVE: The BJP's 12-hour bandh began at 6 am today. The Howrah bridge which was one of the main protesting sites of Nabanna March on Tuesday wears a deserted look with a handful of vehicles plying over the road, as shown on ANI visuals.
Bengal Bandh Live: Announcing the continuation of protests against Mamata Banerjee-led state government, BJP leader Agnimitra Paul lashed out at the government for failing to protect the women in the state.
“They are going around with a disgusting attitude. They have all become spineless. Police have invalidated the orders of the Supreme Court... They used water canons mixed with chemicals on the protestors... They are unable to provide safety to women of the state and when women protest, they use force to disperse them. We will continue to protest," Paul told ANI.
Bengal Bandh Live: To oppose the state government's violence against protesters who joined the Nabanna March on Tuesday, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday will take out a 12-hour long today.
Nabanna Abhijan Protest Live: BJP national president JP Nadda on Tuesday condemned the violence during the rally in Kolkata.
"The violence and repression witnessed on the streets of West Bengal today by Mamata Banerjee's government and her brutal police against the doctors, youth and women of Bengal who were demanding justice, is not only condemnable but also shameful for humanity. In West Bengal, a daughter is brutally raped but Mamata Banerjee is silent. The dignity of a woman is torn to shreds, the parents of the daughter are misled and Mamata Banerjee is silent. When the youth power of the country tried to raise their voice against the new justice by launching the 'Nabanna Abhiyaan', then Mamata Banerjee realised her position as the Chief Minister and crossed all limits of cruelty to save the culprits. The government deployed more than 6,000 police personnel, Howrah Bridge was sealed, the students were lathi-charged on the streets of Bengal, and they were attacked with water cannons...Despite being a woman Chief Minister, Mamata ji has completely failed to ensure the safety of the women of Bengal," Nadda said on Tuesday.
Nabanna Abhijan Protest Live: BJP on Tuesday called Mamata Banerjee a “dictator" and demanded her resignation to ensure a fair probe into the matter. “Whatever is happening in West Bengal is worrisome. It’s akin to tearing the Constitution to shreds. It’s clearly visible that if at all there is a dictator in the country, it’s Mamata Banerjee," BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia told a press conference in New Delhi. Read More
Nabanna Abhijan Protest Live: "The police unleashed unthinkable oppression on the peaceful student marchers to Nabanna during the day. If Mamata Banerjee’s police treat peaceful democratic protestors in this way, we will bring the entire state to a halt tomorrow," Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari said
Nabanna Abhijan Protest Live: BJP Chief JP Nadda slammed the police's alleged highhandedness in Kolkata in handling protestors who were agitating against the rape-murder of a trainee doctor, saying "in Didi's West Bengal, to help rapists and criminals is valued".
“The images of police highhandedness from Kolkata have angered every person who values democratic principles. In Didi's West Bengal, to help rapists and criminals is valued but it's a crime to speak for women's safety," Nadda said in a post on X.
Nabanna Abhijan Protest Live: ASI Aanup Dutta, a close associate of the prime accused in the brutal rape and murder of a trainee doctor at the RG Kar College and Hospital-Sanjay Roy, brought to CBI Office from Sealdah Court in Kolkata.
Nabanna Abhijan Protest Live: The 'Nabanna Abhiyan' by Bangla-Birodhi @BJP4India was nothing but a premeditated assault on Bengal’s peace.
Nabanna Abhijan Protest Live: The government will not allow any bandh on Wednesday. Transport services will remain operational, and shops, marketplaces and other business establishments have been asked to remain open, Alapan Bandopadhyay, chief advisor to CM Mamata Banerjee said.
Bandopadhyay also urged state government employees to attend office.
Nabanna Abhijan Protest Live: The CBI will consult experts from the AIIMS on the DNA and forensic reports related to the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College, PTI reported citing officials
Nabanna Abhijan Protest Live: CBI has got permission to conduct a polygraph test of ASI rank police officer Anup Dutta into the rape and murder of a woman doctor, ANI reported citing sources
Nabanna Abhijan Protest Live: “No - bodies have not fallen. Sorry BJP & GodiMedia to disappoint your ghoulish desires. This is not a common citizen’s march. Students? Women? Barely. A bunch of goons throwing bricks at police & goading them to react," says TMC leader Mahua Moitra
Nabanna Abhijan Protest Live: “We have come here with the demand to release those who were detained during 'Nabanna Abhijan' protest," says BJP leader Locket Chatterjee as she participates in protest march to Lal Bazar Police headquarters
Nabanna Abhijan Protest Live: Protestors break away Police barricades, chant slogans and agitate over RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case. Visuals near outside Kolkata Police (Head Quarters) in Lal Bazar, Kolkata.
Nabanna Abhijan Protest Live: "The government will not allow any bandh on Wednesday. We urge people not to participate in it. All steps shall be taken to ensure that normal life is unaffected," said Alapan Bandopadhyay, chief advisor to CM Mamata Banerjee.
Nabanna Abhijan Protest Live: Bengal govt will ensure normal life is not affected by BJP's 12-hour general strike on Wednesday, says official
Nabanna Abhijan Protest Live: BJP leaders and workers including West Bengal BJP president and Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar sit on a protest outside Kolkata Police (Head Quarters) in Lal Bazar, Kolkata demanding release of students who were detained by police today.
Nabanna Abhijan Protest Live: “Police gets bricks thrown at them, SHO’s head split, policemen hurt. And BJP calls bandh to protest police atrocities. They don’t want justice. They just want to grab CM’s chair without winning polls," TMC leader Mahua Moitra said.
Nabanna Abhijan Protest Live: "Make no mistake, this isn't a protest for justice, it's chaos orchestrated by @BJP4India– hired goons running amok, smashing barricades and attacking on-duty Police officers.
This is a deliberate plot to incite unrest and destabilise Bengal!
Nabanna Abhijan Protest Live: "I am not able to understand why excessive arrangements have been made to prevent the protest?.. Restrictions have been imposed at various locations...The opposition and ruling party should sit together to ensure that the protest takes place peacefully", Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said
Nabanna Abhijan Protest Live: Amid 'Nabanna Abhijan' march in Kolkata, several women's rights groups have issued a joint statement seeking expeditious investigation and action, and demanding an end to sexual crimes and gender-based violence.
The All India Dalit Mahila Adhikar Manch (AIDMAM), All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA), All India Mahila Samskritik Sanghatan (AIMSS), All India Progressive Women's Association (AIPWA), All India Feminist Alliance (ALIFA), All India Lawyers' Association for Justice (AILAJ) are among the 35 organisations who have made the appeal.
Kolkata Protest LIVE Updates: BJP calls 12-hr general strike in Bengal on Wednesday to protest police action on participants of march to state secretariat.
Kolkata Protest LIVE Updates: Indira Mukherjee, Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Central Division, Kolkata Police said in Howra, “We will see whatever happens, there is no problem."
She said they will count the number of arrests later.
Kolkata Protest LIVE Updates: Police lob tear gas shells to disperse protestors as they agitate in Kolkata over RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case.
Kolkata Protest LIVE Updates: West Bengal Police on Tuesday refuted Leader of Opposition in State Assembly Suvendu Adhikari's claim that four student activists were "missing", saying that they were arrested for their alleged involvement in a conspiracy of murder and attempted murder case. The police however said that the "missing" allegation was false and claimed that the four were reportedly planning to "orchestrate large-scale violence" during Tuesday's 'Nabanna Abhijan'.
Kolkata Protest LIVE Updates: Fresh clashes broke out between police and protestors on GT Road in Howrah Maidan area when they tried to march towards the state secretariat as a part of their 'Nabanna Abhijaan' on Tuesday afternoon. A policeman, who identified himself as the in-charge of Chanditala police station in Howrah Police Commissionerate, was injured in the clash.
Kolkata Protest LIVE Updates: Protestors gathered at the Howrah Bridge, climbing atop police barricades and clashed with police personnel during during the 'Nabanna Abhijan' protest march. They were seen breaking and dragging away the barricades that were erected at the Santragachi area enorute to the Secretariat.
Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari on Tuesday 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.
Adhikari said, "If the police repression is not stopped immediately, We (BJP) will stall West Bengal tomorrow". (ANI)
West Bengal: Police detain protestors from Howrah Bridge, who are agitating here as part of 'Nabanna Abhiyan' march over RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case.
Delhi: On Kolkata's RG Kar hospital rape-murder case, BJP leader Gaurav Bhatia says, "If there is any dictator in the country, then that dictator is Mamata Banerjee... The truth should come out, the investigating agency CBI should do a polygraph test of Mamata Banerjee and the Police Commissioner. The truth cannot be suppressed and the biggest thing is that as long as these people are in their positions and are crushing the students, tearing the Constitution to pieces, this will not be tolerated, this issue will be raised strongly as it has been raised today..."
Police fire teargas shells amid stone pelting by protesters during the 'Nabanna Abhijan' rally.
West Bengal: Protests continue at Howrah Bridge, as part of 'Nabanna Abhiyan' march, over RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case.
West Bengal: Protests continue at Howrah Bridge, as part of 'Nabanna Abhiyan' march, over RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case.
Police on Tuesday hosed protestors with water cannons as they climbed atop police barricades, clashed with police personnel and broke the barricades at Santragachi in Howrah during the 'Nabanna Abhijan' protest march.
Protestors also dragged away police barricades and police resorted to opening lathicharge and lobbying tear gas shells to disperse them. (ANI)
