West Bengal: Dozens injured as widespread violence mars BJP's 'Nabanno Chalo' rally

Kolkata: In its biggest campaign against the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) since the defeat in the West Bengal polls last year, the state unit of the BJP staged a ‘Nabanno Chalo’ rally on Tuesday, bringing Kolkata and the adjoining district of Howrah to a virtual standstill.

The rally – attended by thousands of BJP workers and supporters from across the state – turned violent as the police set up barricades and used force to tryand stp the saffron rally from reaching the West Bengal secratariat ‘Nabanna’.

The violence was especially severe and bloody in Howrah district as crowds of BJP workers hurling stones and crude bombs indulged in street battles with the police. Several police vehicles were set afire.

The police used teargas and lathi charged the protesters in an attempt to stop the rally. The police reportedly lathicharged BJP workers at several places including Santragachi, Howrah Maidan, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Rabindra Sarani
and near Lalbazar – the headquarters of the Kolkata Police. The BJP claimed that several party workers and leaders were injured in the violence.

State BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar, who was among those arrested,claimed that the TMC and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee are scared of the ‘Nabanna Chalo’ rally.

“The CM is scared and ran away after seeing the strength of the people gathered here. Only 30% BJP workers were able to reach here for today’s rally. Some of the rest were detained yesterday,” he told the media.

#WATCH | West Bengal: Police use water cannons and tear gas shells to stop and disperse BJP workers in Santragachhi area of Howrah, amid their call for Nabanna Chalo march.

(Video Source: BJP) pic.twitter.com/du2fp9oOFi

— ANI (@ANI) September 13, 2022

The Kolkata Police also detained Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari and MP Locket Chatterjee. The BJP leaders were detained from Hastings in Kolkata when they were leading the Nabanna Chalo Abhiyan. Adhikari, Chatterjee and BJP leader Rahul Sinha were taken to the Kolkata Police headquarters at Lalbazar.

"Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee does not have the support of her people and so she is enforcing dictatorship, similar to North Korea in Bengal. Police will have to pay for what it is doing since Monday. BJP is coming," Adhikari told ANI.

Senior BJP leader Swapan Dasgupta also slammed the West Bengal government for using "disproportionate force" to disrupt the BJP's 'Nabanno Chalo' rally.

Dasgupta, who was allegedly injured in the violence that took place in Kolkata and adjoining Howrah, accused the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) of having a dictatorial mindset.

"You use disproportionate force to stop a democratic protest. What is this? A scheduled programme of demonstration cannot be stopped like this. This is not how democracy works," he told the media.

"We have to work out a system. ultinmately its how you use administratiion to handle protests is what matters," the BJP leader added.

Former West Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh also hit out against the Trinamool Congress (TMC).

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