Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) cadres clashed with police at Gobardanga in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal on Saturday.
The party had announced a 'gherao' of the Gobardanga Municipality demanding the re-opening of the Gobardanga Rural Hospital and return of 'cut money'.
When BJP leaders and supporters tried entering the municipality to submit a deputation for their demands, they were prevented by police. Immediately, a clash broke out between the workers and the police, breaking the barricades. As many as five policemen were injured in the scuffle and later police had to resort to a lathicharge and fire tear gas shells to disperse the agitators. Several BJP workers were injured too on the violent clashes. The injured were later rushed to the nearby private nursing home.
"Some Trinamool Congress workers were already present inside the municipality. Trinamool cadres were led by police who attacked us. Many of us were seriously injured in the police lathicharge," said Rahul Dutta Banik, BJP Yuva Morcha President of Gobardanga.
Agitators claim that the only hospital in the vicinity – Gobardanga Rural Hospital had been shut down by the Bengal government and despite repeated requests to the government it was yet to be opened.
"If one falls sick, or meets with an accident either we have to travel 20kms or 14kms for another hospital. Many living here die on the way to the hospital. We already have a hospital but it has been shut down. On several occasions, we have tried reaching out to the state government to reopen it so that many lives could be saved. But, they are yet to listen to our demands," added Banik. Meanwhile, the BJP claimed that its worker was allegedly lynched by TMC activists in state's Nadia district for chanting 'Jai Shri Ram'. The TMC leadership termed the allegation "completely baseless" and said the BJP worker was beaten up by locals as he had misbehaved with women after getting drunk. Krishna Debnath (26) who hailed from Nabadwip area was allegedly beaten up on Wednesday night and admitted to a local hospital. He was later shifted to a hospital in Kolkata, where he died Friday, the saffron party claimed.
Cut Money Row
- The party had announced a ‘gherao’ of the Gobardanga Municipality demanding the re-opening of the Gobardanga Rural Hospital and return of ‘cut-money’
- When BJP leaders and supporters tried entering the municipality to submit a deputation for their demands, they were prevented by police
—Zee Media Newsroom
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