‘Anti-war’ rally attacked in Kolkata

Incidents of assault and intimidation over the attack on CRPF jawans in Jammu and Kashmir continued in Kolkata on Wednesday.

While an anti-war rally by a human rights organisation was attacked allegedly by cadres of an organisation belonging to the Sangh Parivar, a teenage girl was threatened with rape on social media for her Facebook post.

A rally taken out by human rights organisation 'Association for Protection of Democratic Rights' (APDR) was attacked by a group of youths at the Janbazar area of Central Kolkata.

The rally taken out against "warmongering" in the country was attacked by some youths who dubbed the activists "anti-nationals" and asked them to go to Pakistan.

They also accused them of demeaning the army and supporting terrorists.

"Soon abuses turned into blows and these miscreants began assaulting, and several participants in the rally were injured. One of them had been hospitalised," APDR vice president Ranjit Sur told DH.

He said the attackers belonged to the Sangh Parivar as they were raising slogans used by the RSS and the BJP.

"We are sure that these hooligans belong to Sangh Parivar organisations such as the RSS and VHP. Such slogans are used by them and not the BJP. But we will not be intimidated by such hooliganism," said Sur.

However, West Bengal BJP president questioned the objective of such an "anti-war" procession. 
 
"I don't know who attacked and why. But why did they take out an anti-war rally? Is there a war? Why are they assuming there will be a war?" asked Ghosh.

He scoffed at APDR's allegation against the Sangh Parivar and said that that "these days it has become a fashion to dub anyone raising the 'Bharat Mata ki jay' slogan as cadres of BJP and RSS. Such people (APDR) should be restrained," said Ghosh.

Meanwhile, a teenage girl was threatened with rape on social media following her Facebook post on the attack on CRPF jawans in Jammu and Kashmir.

According to the girl, on February 15, she posted a message on Facebook condemning the attack on social media but also highlighted the plight of the Kashmiris.

Soon, she was threatened with rape on social media. Fearing for her safety, she not only deleted the message but also deactivated her Facebook account. She had lodged a police complaint on Wednesday.