Clashes broke out after the BJP workers gathered outside the state headquarters in Kolkata to participate in the 'Nabanna Chalo' movement, raising anti-government slogans.
The BJP on Thursday slammed the West Bengal government led by Mamata Banerjee for its ''brutal crackdown'' on BJP workers and alleged that the water cannons used by the cops to disperse the peaceful agitators contained chemical. Clashes broke out after the BJP workers gathered outside the party's state headquarters in Kolkata to participate in the 'Nabanna Chalo' movement, raising anti-government slogans.
Reacting sharply to the 'brutalities' of the state police, Union Minister and senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said in a press conference, “I have been told that the water (water cannons) had some chemical in it which is why people have been vomiting. BJP strongly condemns barbaric treatment by Bengal Police of senior party leaders. We would like to say very politely to Mamata Ji and TMC, by using Police and lathis you won't succeed in stopping BJP's expansion. Around 1,500 BJP workers have been injured.’’
West Bengal Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay categorically denied the use of any chemical in water cannons and said, “No chemical was used in cannon water, it is wrong information. The intent globally to use coloured water is to identify a person post dispersal for further necessary action as per the law if required,” Bandyopadhyay said.
“The applicant last evening had mentioned several rallies and said, each rally will have around 25,000 youth. If each rally had to be allowed then that would have been a travesty as per the lockdown norms,” Bandyopadhyay added.
Newly-appointed Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) national president and BJP MP Tejasvi Surya, on the other hand, said that the constitutional rule of law has been murdered in Mamata Banerjee-ruled West Bengal.
"Mamata didi is scared of Yuva Morcha and that is why she decided to close down Nabanna for two days. I believe this fear is good. A new Bengal and a new India will now emerge through this fear," he told a press conference at the BJP state headquarters here.
"A new sun will rise and BJP will come to Bengal with full majority. I have felt the impulse of the workers today," Surya said, adding that "Agli sarkar, Bhajpa sarkar" (the next government is going to be a BJP government).
"This is the heartbeat of every Bengali youth," the BJP MP claimed.
Surya also came down heavily on the West Bengal government over the "brutal attacks" on BJP activists during their protest march to the state secretariat Nabanno on Thursday.
"The way our cadres and leaders were attacked and beaten up mercilessly by the police is unprecedented. Don`t we have the right to conduct a peaceful rally in the state. This is completely undemocratic," he said.
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