‘Chaos orchestrated by BJP,’ says TMC after police clash with protesters

Hitting out at the Nabanna Abhijan protest march, Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra described the protestors as goons who had forced the police to react.

In a post on X, Moitra said, “Police get bricks thrown at them by #WeDontNeedNoEducation “Chhatras”, SHO’s head split. Many policemen hurt. And @BJP4Bengal calls bandh to protest police “atrocities”. Same old playbook.”

“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,” she further added.

The Trinamool Congress on its official social media handle on X called the protest orchestrated by the BJP.

“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,” the TMC said.

Meanwhile, the West Bengal BJP called a 12-hour West Bengal bandh on Wednesday to protest against the police action on the Nabana march.

Earlier in the day, security personnel on Tuesday lobbed tear gas shells, used water cannons and resorted to lathi-charge to disperse protestors on the Howrah Bridge marching towards the West Bengal State Secretariat Nabanna, amidst the row over the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case.

Protestors gathered at the Howrah Bridge, climbing atop police barricades and clashed with police personnel during the ‘Nabanna Abhijan’ protest march. They were seen breaking and dragging away the barricades that were erected at the Santragachi area enroute to the Secretariat.

Protestors also at the Santragachi area and started marching from the College Square towards the State Secretariat in Kolkata.

Several students and citizens joined the march displaying the tricolour in their hands and raising slogans as they moved towards the Secretariat. The West Bengal Police had deployed heavy forces aiming to keep in check the protestors.

Ahead of the protest, called amid the ongoing row over the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, police had thrown a ring of security around the West Bengal state secretariat.

The protestors had been demanding justice for the trainee doctor who was found dead in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on 9 August.

The brutal rape and murder of a woman trainee doctor on the R G Kar Medical College and Hospital premises sparked outrage all over the country.

The incident shook the entire nation, and since then several protests have been staged demanding justice for the victim.