Bahut pulish nabiechhe dada, kicchu hobe na. [Lot of police bandobast; nothing will happen], a driver with an app-cab service said on Wednesday to a commuter heading to office in Calcutta.
The conversation between driver and passenger was about the 12-hour bandh called by the BJP in protest against the police action on protesters who tried to march to the state secretariat a day before demanding the resignation of chief minister Mamata Banerjee over the rape and murder of a young on-duty doctor at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
The protest on Tuesday was purportedly by an apolitical student organisation but no one was left in any doubt that the protest was a BJP-backed effort staffed mostly by lumpen elements who threw stones at police and tried to break barricades.
The cops gave back better than they got.
On Tuesday morning, Calcutta’s streets were relatively emptier but that was also because many schools decided to play safe and declare a holiday for the bandh. Surge pricing on app-cabs was prevailing as usual. Markets and shops were open. Delivery apps were working.
In Bhabanipur, BJP MLA Agnimitra Pal urged people with folded hands not to take out their vehicles.
At Sealdah station, the road divider was covered with Trinamul banners. Abhishek Banerjee is supposed to hold a gathering.
Daily life was somewhat affected in parts of Bengal, PTI reported.
BJP workers demonstrated at the Bongaon station in North 24 Parganas, Gocharan station in South 24 Parganas, and the Murshidabad station.
Tension was palpable at the Barrackpore station in North 24 Parganas as BJP supporters and TMC workers came face to face.
BJP workers blocked the way of a local train in Hooghly station.
At Nandigram in Purba Medinipur district, BJP activists picketed on the road, disrupting traffic.
In Malda, activists of the TMC and BJP engaged in a brawl over the blocking of a road. Police swung into action to disperse the warring groups.
BJP activists demonstrated at the Bankura town bus stand.
In Alipurduar, BJP activists engaged in a scuffle with the police as they tried to block an arterial road, shouting slogans such as 'dafa ek dabi ek, mukhyomantrir padatyag' (single demand, the chief minister must resign).