BJP’s march to state secretariat: Tejasvi Surya to be in rally, Sayantan Basu says won’t treat police to sweets if they attack us

Amidst expectations and apprehensions around the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) programme of marching towards Nabanna – the West Bengal secretariat – on Thursday, the party’s general secretary Sayantan Basu said that “we won’t treat the police to sweets if they attack us.” Basu, known for his controversial comments, somewhat summed up what the programme is likely to be.

The Bengal BJP has planned the Nabanna abhijan programme on Thursday to protest “the state’s deteriorating law and order situation”. With a seven-point agenda of the party against Mamata Banerjee’s government, MP from Bangalore South constituency and president of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha Tejasvi Surya will lead one of the marches towards Nabanna. All senior leaders of the Bengal BJP, including the state chief Dilip Ghosh will be part of the protest march.

“We do not want to break the tenets of democracy, but it is not a one-sided matter. Our reactions would depend on the police action. If they shoot at us, obviously we won’t show kindness by treating them to sweets,” Basu said, when asked what kind of protest march the BJP would organise on Thursday. “There will be thousands of our supporters, and not all of them are likely to be Gandhian,” Basu added. A section of the state administration feels that can qualify as a statement of instigation.

The BJP will organise four main marches that are planned to head towards Nabanna from four different directions – from the BJP’s state headquarters off Central Avenue, Hastings office, Howrah Maidan and Santragachhi.

BJP state chief Dilip Ghosh will lead the march from the party’s main office off Central Avenue. The Hastings march will be led by senior party leaders Kailash Vijayvargiya and Mukul Roy, the Howrah Maidan march will be led by Tejasvi Surya and state head of the party’s youth wing Soumitra Khan. The Santragachhi march will be led by Sayantan Basu.