Clash Between BJP Protesters and Police in Basirhat, Bengal as Tension Escalates in Sandeshkhali

BJP workers, led by the party’s state chief Sukanta Majumdar, clashed with the police in Basirhat after being stopped from holding a protest. The police stated that the protesters threw stones at them and have video footage to identify those involved. Several policemen were injured in the violence.

Mr. Majumdar had taken a local train in the morning, anticipating police blockades to prevent him from reaching Basirhat, an area in the same north 24 Parganas district, where prohibitory orders banning large gatherings were in place. As the police lathicharged the protesters and fired tear gas shells to disperse them, the protesters retaliated with stones. The clash took place outside the office of the local Superintendent of Police.

Sukanta Majumdar claimed that it was the police who used batons first, without provocation. He alleged that Trinamool workers have been raping women in Sandeshkhali for years, naming specific individuals in this context. He demanded the arrest of these individuals and the release of the arrested workers, starting a sit-in protest at the spot.

Senior police officer Sumit Kumar said there was stone-pelting, and they used batons and tear gas “to save our lives and other people’s lives.” The police made some arrests. The Sandeshkhali incident, where a group of women have accused a local Trinamool strongman and his aides of sexually exploiting them, has led to a massive political storm.

The Trinamool has hit out at the BJP, accusing it of provoking violence. They mentioned that BJP workers and supporters threw stones at the police personnel and that one woman has been seriously injured. They criticized Smriti Irani’s comments on women’s security and accused the BJP workers’ actions of reflecting the true character of the party.

Trinamool spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said Sandeshkhali is now peaceful and the situation is under control. The Trinamool party also accused the Left Front of creating fresh provocation along with the BJP, and a Trinamool leader mentioned that Sandeshkhali is a CPM bastion and alleged that the violence was orchestrated in a small area.