Protests and counter-protests rocked Bhetaguri, the native place of Cooch Behar BJP MP and Union minister of state Nisith Pramanik, on Wednesday as supporters of the saffron party and the Kamtapur Progressive Party (KPP) demonstrated and shouted slogans against each other.

A police team present at the spot managed to control the situation. Later in the day, both agitating sides dispersed from the spot.

The KPP, which is critical of the BJP for not meeting their longstanding demands of a north Bengal state and the inclusion of Rajbanshi language in the VIII Schedule of the Constitution, decided to demonstrate near Pramanik’s house on Wednesday.

Around noon, over 30 KPP workers and some leaders reached Bhetaguri Chowpathi, a crossing around 60 metres away from the MP’s house, to stage a demonstration.

As BJP workers came to know about this, around 150 supporters assembled at the same location to foil the KPP’s plan.

Both sides started shouting slogans. “KPP workers have come here at Trinamul's behest. They want to foment tension in the area ahead of the elections,” said Ratan Barman, a local BJP leader.

Uttam Roy, the general secretary of KPP, alleged that BJP tore KPP flags. “The BJP planned to attack us. They intimidated our workers when we raised genuine issues. In the past five years, the BJP has not done anything for north Bengal,” he said.

After some time, police officers present at the spot spoke with leaders of both sides. Eventually, the BJP and KPP protesters left the spot.

Clash over flags

Trinamul and BJP supporters clashed at Sitai in Cooch Behar on Wednesday afternoon before Nisith's event. The BJP and Trinamul claimed three and eight party workers, respectively, were injured in the clash. Both BJP and Trinamul leaders claimed that their rivals attacked party workers when they were putting up their respective party's flags in the area.