BJP takes out rallies to protest 'attacks on party men' in West Bengal, several detained

With flaming torches in hand, BJP activists on Monday took out rallies in several parts of the city and elsewhere as part of the ‘Save Bengal’ campaign, organised in protest against alleged attacks on party men by the members of the ruling TMC in West Bengal.

The police, however, took several saffron party demonstrators into custody, shortly after they hit the streets, citing the provisions of the Disaster Management Act, which has been enforced to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.

In North 24 Parganas, seven BJP activists, including women, were rounded up for allegedly violating the law, a police officer said. Similar reports arrived from other parts of the state. "We don't have any exact figure as yet. Many BJP activists were detained for flouting the provisions of the Disaster Management Act by gathering at one place in hordes," the officer said, adding that they were released later in the day.

Jaiprakash Majumdar, the state unit vice president of the party, said he and other activists had embarked on a march from Bengal BJP headquarters in central Kolkata "to protest the death of 180 saffron camp members due to violence perpetrated by the TMC and the lack of action on the part of the police".

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"We will not get into any confrontation with the police but stage a demonstration following all democratic principles, unlike the TMC that foments trouble in Tripura," he said. Majumdar also said agitations against post-poll violence will continue across the state.

"The police took harsh action today against some of our activists, who were holding peaceful protests. This is what the West Bengal Police do under the TMC regime," he stated. Taking a jibe at the BJP, West Bengal minister and senior TMC leader Firhad Hakim, on his part, said the saffron camp is “trying to disrupt peace in Bengal".

"The BJP has weaved a false narrative about political violence in the state, and death of their party’s activists. There had been no such attack on political rivals in West Bengal," he claimed.