The Communist Party of India (Marxist) and its allies are staging protests across West Bengal today against police action on protestors in the rally that were moving towards the state administrative headquarters, Nabanna on Friday.
The rally – organised by various Left students’ associations including the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) and Students’ Federation of India (SFI) – started from Singur on Thursday. On Friday, the rally started from Howrah station and moved towards Nabanna. The organisers wanted to submit a deputation before Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on issues like unemployment and reduction of expenses in education sector.
However, it was stopped midway at Howrah’s Mullick Fatak by police, which led to a clash and police resorted to lathicharge, charging tear gas shells and using water cannon to disperse the protesters. Many protesters were seriously injured and admitted to Howrah General Hospital. It was alleged that some Trinamool Congress workers had hurled stones at the rally from a rooftop.
After the Tata Motors decided to shift its small car plant planned in Hooghly’s Singur, in 2008 – due to protests and agitation by then Opposition leader Mamata Banerjee – the Left parties have alleged that there has been no significant investment in the state, thus aggravating the problem of unemployment in the state. Thus the Left youth associations had decided to organise a rally to Nabanna to address this issue. CPIM politburo member Mohd Salim said that there was no need for the police to resort to violence, and all that the students wanted was to submit a memorandum in Nabanna.
Senior CPIM leader Biman Basu and Congress leader Abdul Mannan visited the injured in Howrah hospital yesterday. The state Congress has also condemned the incident.
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