The BJP and the Congress brought the city to a grinding halt as both parties tried to intensify their protests to demand the resignation of Mamata Banerjee for the August 9 rape and murder of a junior doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

After an initial denial by Kolkata police, Calcutta High Court allowed the BJP to hold a dharna at the Shyambazar five-point crossing, imposing certain conditions. The BJP on the first day of its five-day demonstration demanded Mamata's resignation, accusing her of severely mishandling the state's law and order.

"The chief minister is seeking justice. From whom? She was supposed to give justice which she didn’t. Now she is creating drama. The people of this state are tired of all these things. She should resign and that is our only demand,” the leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, said.

"Without any condition, without any politics and without thinking about elections or votes, the BJP is committed to give justice to the parents of the daughter. This stage should become the stage for common people; let this podium become the stage for justice. Let this platform bring about the change in the system and the (Mamata) government,” Adhikari added.

Soaked with songs of Rabindranath Tagore and Bhupen Hazarika, the BJP dharna — following the high court order — started on Wednesday noon and saw party leaders like Sukanta Majumdar, Dilip Ghosh, Jagannath Sarkar, Agnimitra Paul and Locket Chatterjee on the dais.

Speaking on the occasion, state BJP chief Majumdar invited everyone to join the Swasthya Bhavan Gherao on Thursday, assuring that those who wished to participate without any political flag or banner were also welcome.

"We will start our rally on Thursday 1pm and stay in front of the rally with our banners, posters and political flags. But this is not a programme of the BJP alone. It is a matter of concern for all the people of the state. So we invite all the people to become a part of this march to Swasthya Bhavan,” Majumdar said. "It will be a peaceful rally where we want to ask certain questions. If we are not satisfied with their answers we will sit in front of the building."

"I am asking everyone to come as parents.... I have two daughters and I am worried about them,” he added.

On Wednesday afternoon, tension flared during the Congress's 'Lalbazar March' protesting the RG Kar incident. The march, demanding Mamata's resignation, commenced from College Square around 1.30pm. As the protesters approached Lalbazar via Fierce Lane, police intervened and halted the procession with barricades.

Some Congress workers attempted to break through the barricades, resulting in a scuffle between the police and Congress workers. The police detained several Congress workers. Sources in the party said that several leaders and members, including Abdul Mannan, Pradip Bhattacharya, Amitabh Chakraborty, Mita Chakraborty, Santosh Pathak, and Rohan Mitra, were detained and transported to Lalbaazar in police vans. They were later released.