The BJP has condemned the Kolkata Police’s response to protests over alleged attacks on minorities in Bangladesh, labelling it state-sponsored hooliganism. The clashes resulted in injuries and arrests as demonstrators attempted to march to the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission.
India
-Krishna Kripa
The
BJP
criticised
West
Bengal
Chief
Minister
Mamata
Banerjee
on
Tuesday,
condemning
police
actions
against
protesters
highlighting
alleged
attacks
on
minorities
in
Bangladesh.
The
party
described
the
incident
as
orchestrated
state-backed
violence
aimed
at
silencing
those
seeking
justice
for
Hindus
facing
persecution
in
the
neighbouring
country.
image
The
BJP
has
condemned
the
Kolkata
Police’s
response
to
protests
over
alleged
attacks
on
minorities
in
Bangladesh,
labelling
it
state-sponsored
hooliganism.
The
clashes
resulted
in
injuries
and
arrests
as
demonstrators
attempted
to
march
to
the
Bangladesh
Deputy
High
Commission.
Hundreds
of
supporters
from
a
pro-Hindutva
group
attempted
to
march
towards
the
Bangladesh
Deputy
High
Commission
in
Kolkata.
The
protest,
held
on
Tuesday
afternoon,
turned
violent
when
police
stopped
them,
leading
to
clashes.
Protesters
breached
barricades
in
their
attempt
to
reach
the
commission’s
office
at
Beckbagan
in
central
Kolkata.
Police
Action
and
Arrests
To
control
the
situation,
police
used
batons
to
disperse
the
crowd.
At
least
12
protesters
were
arrested
during
the
confrontation.
Several
individuals,
including
both
protesters
and
police
personnel,
sustained
minor
injuries
amidst
the
chaos.
BJP
co-incharge
for
West
Bengal
Amit
Malviya
reacted
strongly
to
the
incident.
He
stated,
“The
barbaric
assault
on
Hindu
protesters
outside
the
Bangladesh
Deputy
High
Commission
in
Kolkata
today,
where
women
and
the
elderly
were
trapped
behind
barricades,
lathi-charged,
manhandled,
beaten
until
they
bled,
and
dragged
through
the
streets,
is
a
calculated
act
of
state-sponsored
hooliganism
aimed
at
silencing
voices
demanding
justice
for
persecuted
Hindus
in
Bangladesh.”
Background
of
Protests
Malviya
explained
that
the
protests
were
triggered
by
the
brutal
murder
of
Dipu
Chandra
Das.
Das
was
burned
to
death
in
Mymensingh,
Bangladesh,
on
December
20
over
unfounded
blasphemy
allegations.
He
accused
Mamata’s
police
of
turning
a
peaceful
protest
into
a
violent
event,
likening
their
actions
to
those
of
hired
goons
for
the
TMC.
He
further
claimed
that
this
incident
is
part
of
a
worrying
trend
where
police
act
as
tools
of
oppression.
According
to
Malviya,
this
mirrors
brutality
seen
in
Bangladesh
and
results
in
Hindu
bloodshed
to
appease
radicals.
BJP’s
Stance
The
BJP
leader
asserted
that
his
party
stands
firmly
with
Bengal’s
Hindus.
He
emphasised
their
commitment
to
safeguarding
their
rights,
dignity,
and
safety.
Malviya
urged
Mamata
Banerjee
to
stop
relying
on
what
he
termed
as
her
“thug
police
force” for
such
actions.
With
inputs
from
PTI
