The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced a 12-hour general strike in West Bengal on Wednesday in response to the police crackdown on participants of the “Nabanna Abhijan” rally. The protest march, organized by student groups and supported by the BJP, aimed to reach the West Bengal state secretariat, Nabanna, demanding justice for the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College.
The rally turned violent as protesters clashed with police on Howrah Bridge and College Street. Security forces responded with tear gas, water cannons, and lathi charges to disperse the crowds. Despite the heavy police presence, protesters broke through barricades, leading to several arrests.
BJP leaders, including Suvendu Adhikari, sharply criticized Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s administration, accusing it of shielding criminals and suppressing peaceful protests. Adhikari warned that if the “brutal repression” continued, the BJP would stall the state.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) are also probing financial irregularities at RG Kar Medical College, adding to the mounting pressure on the state government. Meanwhile, over a hundred Bengali film industry artists have called for a safer workplace, reflecting broader societal unrest.
With tensions escalating, educational institutions have closed or moved classes online, and the state government has issued prohibitory orders in Nabanna. The situation remains fluid as the BJP prepares for its statewide bandh.
