Daily life in parts of West Bengal was disrupted by a 12-hour shutdown called by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in response to police action against demonstrators. The usually bustling streets of Kolkata saw fewer buses, auto-rickshaws, and taxis, though markets and shops remained open.
The bandh followed clashes on August 27 between protesters, who were marching to the state secretariat Nabanna, and the police. The violence resulted in injuries to several individuals, including senior police officers and women protesters. Over 200 arrests were made statewide.
The police used lathi-charges, water cannons, and tear gas to disperse the crowds. BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari has called on Governor CV Ananda Bose to impose President’s Rule in the state.
The protest, known as ‘Nabanna Abhijan,’ was organized by the unregistered student group ‘Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj’ and the dissident platform ‘Sangrami Joutha Mancha.’ They are demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the alleged rape-murder of a medic at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9.
