Two demonstrations on Friday, one in the city and another in South 24-Parganas, called out the BJP-led central government for unleashing the state machinery on farmers protesting three contentious farm laws. A few hundred people marched from Moulali to Esplanade via SN Banerjee Road in the afternoon under the banner of “Bengal Against Fascist RSS-BJP”. The protesters shouted slogans in solidarity with the farmers in the capital. “We want to expose the RSS-BJP ploy to malign the farmers’ movement,” said Amitabha Bhattacharya, a convenor of the platform.

Around 40km away, in South 24-Parganas’ Bhangar, another demonstration was under way. Over 500 farmers and residents of the area joined the protest against the farm laws and the citizenship thrust.

Protesters in South 24-Parganas