Left, Congress activists clash with police during march over jobs; 12-hour Bengal bandh called on Feb 12

The march to the State Secretariat in Kolkata by the Left and Congress workers on Thursday turned violent as they clashed with the police. While agitators tried to barge through the police barricades in Central Kolkata, police responded with baton charges, tear gas shells and water cannons to disburse the crowd.

Several protesters and some police officials were injured during the clash. The agitators were trying to march to the State Secretariat demanding employment generation in West Bengal. The Left Front called for a 12-hour strike in protest against the “brutal police crackdown” on the Left and Congress workers.

Comparing the police action with the historic “Jalianwala Bagh incident”, Left Front chairperson Biman Basu said that more than 150 agitators were injured in the incident.

“The way the police of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) Government launched a brutal crackdown on the workers of the student and youth wing activists of the Left Front and the Congress is similar to the Jalianwala Bagh incident to certain extent. More than 150 protesters were injured,” said Basu.

He also said that the Left Front and its associated parties have called for a 12-hour strike on Friday in protest against the crackdown. He also said that discussion were held with the Congress in this regard.