Kolkata: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sukanta Majumdar has written a letter to West Bengal Governor, CV Ananda Bose asking him to look into the detention of student protestors during Tuesday’s Nabanna Avijaan protest. He said that he was writing to the Governor to draw his attention towards the excessive use of force by the police against peaceful student activists during the protests.
Right to protest is fundamental right, says BJP leader
Justifying the demand for the release of students, Majumdar said that the right to protest is a fundamental democratic right guaranteed to every citizen. He further said that peaceful protests are essential for the fabric of our (India’s) democracy and allow citizens to express their grievances and opinions.
He said that the actions by the police in this case, appear to be disproportionate and unprovoked. He also accused the police personnel of undermining the democratic values, which are fundamental in the country.
He said that in the wake of the police actions, the Governor must take immediate and necessary steps to address the instances of police excesses. He then went on to request the Governor to instruct the state police to release all student activists who are in custody after the protests. He claimed that the detention of the student leaders and activists violates their democratic rights.
Protests in West Bengal
The Nabanna Avijaan protests by students, where they were marching towards the state secretariat saw the state police use water cannons and tear gas shells. This was done to disperse the crowd, who were trying to break police barricades.
The entire city of Kolkata was turned into a fortress. The protest march to Nabanna was called to demand justice for the 31-year-old woman who was raped and killed at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The death took place on August 9. The march was called by the Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj, and it is the student leaders and members of this outfit who are currently under detention.