The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has declared a 12-hour bandh in West Bengal tomorrow from six in the morning to protest police action on participants marching to the state secretariat today. Sukanta Majumdar, President of Bengal BJP, made the announcement urging residents to participate in the general strike. Violence, in Kolkata, has been reported today during a student march ‘Nabanna abhiyan’ called by the ‘Chatra Samaj’ due to frequent clashes between the protesters and the police. The protesters were demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the arrest of those involved in the rape and murder of a doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
The state government has said that it will not support the BJP-called bandh. Alapan Banerjee, chief advisor to the chief minister, clarified the government’s position in front of the media. He said the state government has decided that public life in the state will be kept normal tomorrow. Everything will be on. Government employees have been asked to come to the office on time. Shops will remain open. Public vehicles will ply. The government will make all arrangements for maintaining normalcy. Even if there is any loss, the government will see to it.
