BJP bandh evokes mixed response in Bengal amid sporadic violence

Kolkata, August 28

Sporadic instances of violence marked the BJP-sponsored 12-hour shutdown in West Bengal on Wednesday which had a mixed impact in the wake of bandh supporters clashing with the police and ruling Trinamool Congress workers at several pockets of the state.

The most significant of these clashes was reported from Bhatpara in North 24 Parganas district where the BJP alleged that TMC goons fired multiple rounds on its local leader Priyangu Pandey's car and shared a purported video of the crime on social media platforms.

Although Pandey escaped unhurt, the vehicle's driver and a party worker sustained bullet injuries on their heads and were admitted to a private hospital, BJP leaders claimed.

Police said that the two men were beaten up by some people outside the local Anglo-India Jute Mill.

The violence was followed by a showdown between local BJP leader Arjun Singh and his TMC counterpart Somnath Shyam, with both leaders and their supporters standing face to face in altercation further triggering tensions and the police finding it tough to disperse the warring groups.

"Miscreants owing allegiance to the Trinamool Congress fired the shots. If police are not around we will show TMC what people's power looks like," Singh said.

Shyam countered by saying that the BJP leader was trying to “incite violence in a peaceful area”.

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 and urging people to enforce the bandh since morning.

The 'Bangla Bandh', which began at 6 am, was called to protest Tuesday's police action on participants of 'Nabanna Abhijan' or march to the secretariat, organised by the newly formed students' group Chatra Samaj over the alleged rape and murder of the doctor at RG Kar hospital.

The shutdown partially affected daily life in the state with many people choosing to remain indoors apprehending trouble outside.

In Kolkata, the usual weekday flurry was missing with a smaller number of buses, auto-rickshaws and taxis plying. Private vehicles were also significantly less, even as markets and shops remained open.

Schools and colleges were open, though the number of students was fewer. Many English-medium schools in Kolkata suspended classes.

In many private offices, attendance was low with employees asked to work from home. However, attendance was usual in government offices.

Several BJP leaders were detained across the state for attempting to enforce the shutdown.

Ganguly and Paul were detained from south Kolkata's Gariahat area when they were urging traders to down their shutters and requesting people to support the bandh.

Chatterjee along with party leaders Rahul Sinha and Tamaghna Ghosh was detained from Shyambazar, while Bhattacharya was picked up in Salt Lake.