The BJP has announced a 12-hour bandh in West Bengal from 6 am to 6 pm in response to police action against demonstrators participating in the ‘Nabanna Abhijan’ march. The protest, organized by the unregistered student group ‘Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj’ and the dissident state government employees’ platform ‘Sangrami Joutha Mancha,’ was held to demand justice for a 31-year-old doctor who was raped and murdered in Kolkata.
Points on the West Bengal Bandh
1. The strike was called after police used tear gas, water cannons, and lathi charges to disperse protesters trying to reach the state secretariat, ‘Nabanna.’
2. The ruling Trinamool Congress accused the BJP of backing the protest to gain political advantage. At the same time, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari claimed that over 160 protesters, including 17 women, were injured in the police action.
3. Adhikari, also the State’s Leader of Opposition, urged Governor CV Ananda Bose to consider imposing President’s Rule in West Bengal.
4. BJP state president and union minister Sukanta Majumdar stated that the bandh was necessary due to the state government’s failure to ensure justice for the victim, accusing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s administration of ignoring the public’s demand for safety and security.
5. In response, the West Bengal government issued a notification urging citizens not to participate in the bandh, ensuring that all government offices remain open and employees must report to work or face disciplinary action.
The tragic incident has sparked widespread outrage across the country, with junior doctors staging protests and demanding better security measures for women in hospitals.
