Nabanna Abhijan rally HIGHLIGHTS: Bengal govt issues notice to govt employees after BJP gives 'Bandh' call

"Keeping in mind the sentiments of the common citizens, Bharatiya Janata Party has called for a Bengal bandh for 12 hours from 6 am tomorrow. I am confident that the people of Bengal will stand with us and will leave no stone unturned to shatter the pride of Mamata Banerjee and create an environment to overthrow such an oppressive government," he said.

"I am standing in support of the students who are protesting for my daughter. I am very proud that the students have taken such a risk and are out today for my daughter. They should intensify their protest and should keep demanding justice," the father of the deceased of Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case said.

"Disproportionate force and coercive power was used by the state in dealing with the situation, ignoring the Supreme Court's own pronouncements that the state power shall not be unleashed against peaceful protesters," the Governor said.

The West Bengal government has issued a notification stating that no government employee can take leave tomorrow; everyone must come to the office. The BJP called for Bengal Bandh from 6 am to 6 pm on Wednesday.

(With input from Manish Prasad)

Kolkata Police resorted to lathicharge on BJP leaders who were protesting outside the police headquarters at Lal Bazar. The police leaders were trying to march forward by bypassing the barricades.

BJP leaders and workers including West Bengal BJP president & Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar sat on a protest outside Kolkata Police (Head Quarters) in Lal Bazar, Kolkata demanding the release of students who were detained by police today.

The BJP called for a 12-hour general strike in West Bengal on Wednesday to protest against the police action on those who took part in the march to state secretariat Nabbana on Tuesday. The ruling TMC claimed that the strike call exposed the BJP's game plan to foment disturbances in the state exploiting people’s pain over the alleged rape and murder of a woman doctor. The West Bengal government said that the administration will ensure that normal life is not affected during the strike that will begin at 6 am. The police used batons, tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowd who proceeded to Nabanna. They were demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the wake of the alleged rape and murder of a woman doctor in a state-run hospital earlier this month.

The West Bengal government will ensure that normal life is not affected by BJP's 12-hour general strike on Wednesday, an official said.

"We are used to tackling such unruly mobs and our officers have handled the situation well. We have detained several people and the law will take its course," a senior police officer of Kolkata Police said.

Police said they had to take action after the agitators breached barricades at some locations and “attacked” security personnel.

"Why were we beaten by police? We did not break any law. We are holding a peaceful rally to demand justice for the deceased doctor. The chief minister should take responsibility and resign," said a woman protester.

Police lathicharged and used water cannons and tear gas to disperse protesters who threw stones and bricks at the security forces, and attempted to topple barricades blocking their way to the state secretariat.

Clashes broke out between police and protesters at different parts of Kolkata and its neighbouring Howrah on Tuesday, as the agitators tried to make their way through barricades to march towards the West Bengal secretariat. The protesters were attempting to reach ‘Nabanna’ to demand the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the rape-murder of a doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. Clashes were reported at MG Road, Hastings Road and areas near the Princep Ghat alongside Santragachi and Howrah Maidan in which some protesters as well as policemen were injured.

Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari on Tuesday alleged that police resorted to "brutal repression" on peaceful participants of the 'Nabanna Abhijan' rally, and threatened to stall West Bengal if the "brutalities" by state administration were not stopped. "Police are using water cannon on peaceful protestors at Santragachi, burst tear gas shells on the students at Howrah Bridge, lathicharged them at College Street.
Please stop these brutalities immediately," the senior BJP leader told reporters.

"The situation is very delicate. More than one lakh students and common people have assembled at three places. They have only one demand that the CM should step down from her post. However, 15,000-20,000 policemen have been deployed to stop them. Both protesters and policemen have been injured in the clashes. State government is responsible for this,” said Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari.

The Kolkata Police lobbed tear gas shells to disperse protesters as they agitated in Kolkata.

The police dispersed protesters as they agitated in Kolkata over RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case.

"I am not able to understand why excessive arrangements have been made to prevent the protest?.. Restrictions have been imposed at various locations...The opposition and ruling party should sit together to ensure that the protest takes place peacefully," Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said.

After the crackdown on the marchers, the Kolkata Police detained them at Howrah Bridge. The BJP has criticised the police action and alleged that Mamata government is standing with the accused.

Reacting to Adhikari's claim, West Bengal Police said they had arrested these four students as they were planning to orchestrate large-scale violence during the Nabanna Abhijan today. "A certain political leader has been trying to create a false narrative about four students who have apparently been missing since last night. The truth is, nobody is missing. The four were planning to orchestrate large-scale violence during the Nabanna Abhijan today, and were involved in a conspiracy of murder and attempted murder. They have been arrested in the Interest of public safety and security, and their families have been informed," the police said in an X post.

BJP leader and LoP West Bengal Legislative Assembly Suvendhu Adhikari on Tuesday accused Mamata Banerjee's government of disappearing four students who were set to participate in the Nabanna Abhijan rally. 

The call for March to Nabanna, the Bengal state secretariat, was separately given by an unregistered students’ body Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj (West Bengal Students Community) and the Sangrami Joutha Mancha (Joint Platform of Struggle), an organisation of state government employees who have been agitating since long demanding their DA to be made at par with their Central government counterparts.

More than 6,000 police personnel of Kolkata Police were deployed from 8 am today.

• 26 DC rank officers are present during the rally
• Barricading erected at 19 places
• Surveillance with the help of drones
• 21 police officers of IG and DIG rank deployed
• 13 SP and Deputy Commissioner level police officers at work
• 15 Additional Police Commissioners and Additional Superintendent of Police rank officers 
• 22 Additional Commissioner and Deputy Superintendent level police officers
• 26 Inspector rank officers are deployed
• 19,00 lathi-wielding and non-lathi-wielding police personnel stationed
• More than 160 DCRF personnel deployed around Nabanna 
• The Chief Secretary, Home Secretary, and DGP present in Nabanna 
• CP Vineet Goyal is controling from the Police Headquarters Control Room

Protesters dragged away Police barricades as they agitated over RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case and carried out Nabanna Abhiyan' march. Police resorted to opening lathi charge and lobbing tear gas shells to disperse them.

"The images of police highhandedness from Kolkata have angered every person who values democratic principles. In Didi's West Bengal, to help rapists and criminals is valued but it's a crime to speak for women's safety," Nadda tweeted.