Today(on August 28), the BJP’s Bengal unit has called for a 12-hour Bangla Bandh to protest alleged police atrocities on students. The students were demonstrating against the recent rape and murder of a doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar hospital, an incident that has ignited widespread outrage across the state.
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KOLKATA: A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed before the Calcutta High Court, seeking to prevent the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from enforcing a statewide Bengal Bandh. The urgency of the matter was acknowledged by the court, which has allowed the PIL to be filed and listed for immediate hearing.
The case is scheduled to be the first matter heard today(28th August).
The BJP’s Bengal unit has announced a 12-hour Bangla Bandh today(on August 28) as a form of protest against what they describe as “atrocities by police on students.” These students were demonstrating in response to the recent rape and murder of a doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar hospital, an incident that has sparked widespread outrage across the state.
The PIL, filed by advocate Agnish Basu, contends that such bandhs disrupt the daily lives of ordinary citizens.
According to the petition, the aim of the PIL is to ensure that –
“Ensure that illegal bandhs called by political parties do not disrupt the daily lives of ordinary citizens.”
The advocate argues that the bandh, called by the BJP, has the potential to severely disrupt public life and infringe upon the rights of the general populace.
The background to this development includes a series of student protests that escalated into chaos in Kolkata and Howrah on August 27. The protests were part of a ‘Nabanna Abhijan’ march, organized by students who were angered by the handling of the doctor’s case. The march, which aimed to reach the Bengal Secretariat, led to significant unrest as police forces clashed with demonstrators. The situation became increasingly volatile, resulting in widespread disruption across key areas in the city.
In light of these events, the BJP announced the bandh as a means to draw attention to the perceived mishandling of the situation by the state authorities. The party’s leadership has been vocal in their criticism of the police’s actions during the protests, accusing them of excessive force and repression.
The PIL, however, challenges the legitimacy of the bandh, arguing that such political actions should not come at the cost of public convenience and safety. The petition highlights the need for a judicial intervention to “restrain any unlawful assembly or bandh that could paralyze the normal functioning of the state.”
