The police resorted to lathicharges and firing water cannons and tear gas shells to disperse the BJP activists.
Clashes broke out between BJP workers and police personnel in Kolkata on Wednesday during a massive rally organised by the party in protest against post-poll violence and alleged attack on its workers and supporters.
As BJP activists allegedly tried to break past the police barricade at B B Ganguly Street to reach Bowbazar crossing, the police resorted to lathicharges and firing water cannons and tear gas shells to disperse them.
In retaliation, the saffron party workers, led by BJP National General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, allegedly raised slogans and hurled stones and bottles at the officers. Other regional leaders of the BJP like Locket Chatterjee, Rahul Sinha, and Dilip Ghosh were also present.
Some of the party workers were also seen holding a sit-in demonstration in the area in protest.
Kailash Vijayvargiya said that the BJP's democratic way of protest was interrupted through undemocratic means by a 'Hitler-like' Mamata Banerjee. "More than 50,000 of our workers were present. Due to the police's lathicharges, water cannon and tear gas, a lot of them were injured. But as long as the Hitlershahi's vanity isn't defeated, we will not stop our protest," the BJP National General Secretary said.
BJP's march had commenced from Raja Subodh Mullick Square in Bowbazar and was progressing towards the Kolkata Police headquarters at Lalbazar, to protest against the Mamata Banerjee government's handling of law and order in the state.
Lalbazar had been on red alert since the morning, preparing for the unrest. Police personnel had been placed at a number of places in the city, and barricades formed at Central Avenue and B B Ganguly Street. Drones were also being used for surveillance.
(With inputs from PTI)
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