Kolkata: In two different protest rallies by the Congress and the Left Front, Esplanade area of central Kolkata turned into a battle field as police lathi charged on both the rallies. While the Congress took out the rally protesting against the farm bills introduced by the BJP-led Central Government, the Left Front protested against the price hike in electricity bills.
Demanding immediate repealing of the farm laws, West Bengal Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said that the protesting farmers are dying every day and the BJP-led central government is doing nothing for the farmers.
“Even the apex court has given a stay at the devilish farm bills. We from our side will submit a deputation to the governor Jagdeep Dhankhar demanding immediate repealing of the bills,” mentioned Chowdhury also adding that the atrocities by the police will soon come to an end after the Trinamool Congress loses the upcoming Assembly polls.
Speaking on the alleged violence and atrocities of the West Bengal police, senior Congress leader and leader of opposition in West Bengal Legislative Assembly, Abdul Mannan said that the rally that started from Calcutta University building was peaceful, but police at Esplanade area suddenly lathi charged on Congress leaders and also restricted them to go near the Governor house.
“Our supports were mishandled by police and they even took away the car keys of several supporters so that they cannot join the protest. There were barricades all over the area so we cannot submit a memorandum to the governor. The police from the very beginning is working as the cadre of the ruling Trinamool Congress,” mentioned Mannan.
On the other hand several Left Front supporters were injured as they were protesting in front of the CESC building over the price hike on electric consumption.
Talking to Free Press Journal, CPI (M) leader Satarup Ghosh said that the protests were peaceful and suddenly the police started lathi charge on women activists.
“Despite backlogs in DA, the police are working on behalf of the Trinamool Congress. But after a couple of months we will form the next state government and all the violence will come to an end. There is no women police but our women activists are constantly being mishandled,” claimed Ghosh.
