Clashes break out during BJP’s ‘Nabanna Chalo’ agitation against Mamata govt

New Delhi: Clashes broke out between the Bharatiya Janta Party workers and the West Bengal Police during a protest rally organised in Howrah district. The BJP’s ‘Nabanna Chalo’ agitation is a protest against the alleged killing of party workers in West Bengal under the Mamata Banerjee-led government.

The clashes erupted soon after the BJP workers gathered outside the party’s state headquarter in Kolkata to participate in the ‘Nabanna Chalo’ agitation, raising anti-government slogans. West Bengal Police had to use tear gas, water cannon to disperse the BJP workers at Howrah’s Santragachi during the saffron party’s ‘March to Nabanna’.

In a bid to stop the march, the West Bengal Police resorted to lathi-charge and used tear gas, water cannon on BJP workers at Howrah’s Santragachi.

#WATCH Howrah: BJP workers try to break police barricade put in place to stop the Party's 'Nabanna Chalo' agitation against the alleged killing of party workers in the state; police use tear gas to bring the situation under control.#WestBengal pic.twitter.com/ChQdi0NYXj

— ANI (@ANI) October 8, 2020

Security officials were stationed in large numbers outside the BJP state headquarters on Thursday morning. State police used a drone to keep a vigil on the protesting BJP workers.

“We are protesting democratically, but Mamata Ji has tried to turn our peaceful demonstration into a violent protest. Goons along with police pelted stones at us,” BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya said.

West Bengal: Police use water cannon & lathi-charge to disperse BJP workers during a protest at Hastings in Kolkata.

BJP has launched a state-wide 'Nabanna Chalo' agitation march today to protest against the alleged killing of its party workers. pic.twitter.com/T2om4xUxlq

— ANI (@ANI) October 8, 2020

BJP’s Kailash Vijayvargiya, on being asked whether party workers were wearing masks as precaution against Covid-19, said that all workers were wearing masks, but do the same rules not apply to Mamata Banerjee when she holds demonstrations?

All workers are wearing masks. Are rules only for us? Mamata Ji holds demonstrations with thousands, & we’re being taught lessons of social distancing. Do same rules not apply to her?: Kailash Vijayvargiya, BJP on question of party workers without masks at ‘Chalo Nabanna’ protest pic.twitter.com/hTGk4lQEbk

— ANI (@ANI) October 8, 2020

“All workers are wearing masks. Are rules only for us? Mamata Ji holds demonstrations with thousands, & we’re being taught lessons of social distancing. Do same rules not apply to her?,” he said.

The Mamata Banerjee-led state government on Wednesday though announced that the building will remain shut for two days, on October 8 and 9, “for Covid-19 sanitization drive.”

A huge contingent of police and rapid action force (RAF) had been deployed in and around the Nabanno area to control any untoward incident during the protest march. The police officials have been seen carrying out aerial surveillance using drone devices in various entry points. According to sources, about 2,000 police personnel have been deployed only in Kolkata.