The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has called for a 12-hour general strike (Bangla Bandh) in West Bengal on Wednesday, from 6 am to 6 pm, to protest the police action against demonstrators who marched to the state secretariat, Nabanna, on Tuesday.
The protestors were demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee following the rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata earlier this month.
Sukanta Majumdar, BJP's state president and Union Minister, stated that the bandh was a necessary response to what he termed as the "autocratic regime" of Mamata Banerjee, accusing her Trinamool Congress (TMC) government of ignoring the public's demand for justice in the case.
Bengal's Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari also condemned the police for their alleged excessive use of force against what he described as a peaceful student march.
The police used batons, tear gas, and water cannons, as demonstrators attempted to reach Nabanna to press for the Chief Minister's resignation.
Ahead of the planned bandh, Suvendu Adhikari warned that the BJP would "bring the entire state to a halt" with the same.
The BJP has also set up a helpline to provide legal assistance to those arrested during the Nabanna protest.
In response, the ruling Trinamool Congress accused the BJP of exploiting the tragic incident to create unrest in the state. TMC leader Kunal Ghosh claimed that the bandh call revealed the BJP's intent to foment disturbances, arguing that Tuesday's 'Nabanna Abhijan' student protests were backed by the BJP from the outset.
He expressed confidence that the people of West Bengal would reject the BJP’s "game plan" and ensure that normal life continues.
Meanwhile, the state government announced that all necessary measures would be taken to ensure that the bandh does not disrupt daily life. The Chief Advisor to Mamata Banerjee, Alapan Bandopadhyay, urged citizens not to participate in the strike.
He said that transport services would remain operational, and that shops, markets, and other business establishments have been instructed to stay open. State government employees have also been advised to attend work as usual.
Source: India Today