Bengal Bandh Today After Police Use Tear Gas, Water Canon On Protesters

The BJP has called for a 6 am to 6 pm bandh (strike) in West Bengal to protest against the police action on those who took part in the march to the state secretariat ‘Nabbana’ over the rape and murder of a 31-year-old doctor in Kolkata.The ‘Nabanna Abhijan’ call was given by an unregistered student body ‘Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj’ and a dissident state government employees’ platform ‘Sangrami Joutha Mancha’. The ruling Trinamool Congress alleged that this was a BJP-backed protest.The protesters were demanding the resignation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the rape-murder of a trainee doctor at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.Senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari alleged that over 160 protestors, including 17 women, suffered injuries in the police action. Police claimed that several cops were also injured in the clashes.Mr Adhikari, who is the State’s Leader of Opposition, urged Governor CV Ananda Bose to “impose President’s Rule” in West Bengal.