TMC, BJP workers clash during Baruipur rape-murder protest rally in Kolkata

Kolkata, Jul 8 (PTI) Workers of the BJP and the TMC youth wing clashed here on Wednesday during a protest march by the Mamata Banerjee-led party over the rape and murder of an 11-year-old girl in Baruipur, prompting police personnel to baton charge to control the situation. The rally, which was organised by youth workers of the Mamata Banerjee-aligned TMC after securing a green signal from the Calcutta High Court, was repeatedly obstructed by BJP workers who raised “thief” slogans and even tried to set up human barricades along the protest march route along the Hazra Road. During the course of the rally which originated from Ballygunge Phari in southern Kolkata, agitated workers from both sides were seen getting engaged in fist fights, with security forces intervening with a baton charge to disperse and disengage the brawlers. The agitating BJP workers maintained that the TMC had “no right” to organise a protest rally on the Baruipur incident, alleging that the erstwhile Mamata Banerjee government “shielded criminals perpetrating crimes against women, shamed victims” and often trivialised them as “minor incidents”, charges that were refuted by the protesters. The clashes, which began from the rally’s originating point and continued in phases all through the roughly three-kilometre rally route, reached a climactic high at its termination point at Hazra Crossing, not far from the former chief minister’s residence, with police having a tough time in stopping the chaos from spiralling out of control. Condemning the attack on TMC workers, Banerjee alleged that the BJP carried out a “planned rampage”, assaulting men and women alike, with “the city police standing by as mute spectators”. An animated Banerjee was seen trying to disperse an excited crowd in front of her house on Harish Chatterjee Street. She even slapped a worker whose political identity could not be ascertained. “We had the court’s permission to conduct this rally. Even then, they assaulted our women. Many of our workers are bleeding badly, and I had to come out of my house to rescue them. They took out a bike rally in the morning near my residence and threatened me. They kept playing DJs all through the rally route and even snatched our hand mics for which we had the court’s leave,” she said. “Police are acting like BJP cadres, I am sorry to say,” she alleged. The TMC supremo accused the BJP of “hiring lumpen forces” to unleash chaos on the rally and maintained this wasn’t the change Bengal people wanted. “I am accusing the police of failing to shoulder the responsibility of ensuring the rally was conducted peacefully when there was a court order permitting it. Instead, they allowed the BJP to attack our rally, permitted them to set up a stage on our rally route and play DJ music,” Banerjee said, calling the police behaviour one that was tantamount to contempt of court. She alleged that within two months of the BJP assuming power, more than 14 women were raped, tortured and murdered in various parts of the state. BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya rubbished those claims stating people of Bengal have rejected TMC’s politics which is hinged on arrogance and appeasement. “Mamata Banerjee is a veteran political worker who loves to walk on the streets. We have not obstructed her from doing that. But the TMC betrayed the trust people put in the party 15 years ago. They did not allow the violent political culture in the state to change,” he said. The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday set aside the Kolkata Police communication denying permission to hold the protest rally, and granted permission to the TMC to organise the event, albeit under strict conditions. The court tweaked the proposed route of the rally by changing its termination point to Hazra Crossing instead of the originally scheduled Landsdown Market on Sarat Bose Road to "minimise the inconvenience of the people at large". The court also altered the rally timing from 2.30 pm to 4.30 pm instead of the proposed 3 pm to 6 pm slot, forbade the use of loudspeakers and directed the use of handheld microphones instead. It also instructed keeping one flank of the rally route open to allow vehicular traffic movement and mandated dispersal of the crowd, which shouldn't exceed 1,000 participants, once the rally reached its destination. TMC leaders accompanying the rally appealed to the party supporters to maintain peace and discipline, accusing the BJP of attempting to disrupt the programme. Meanwhile, BJP leaders alleged that their supporters were provoked by TMC youth wing workers. Vehicular movement in several parts of South Kolkata was affected due to the rally. The authorities had issued advisories in advance, urging people to avoid the affected routes. The situation remained tense but under control as the rally progressed towards Hazra under tight security, a police officer said. Prabhas Mondal, one of the prime accused in the rape and murder of the Baruipur minor, was killed in an alleged encounter early on Wednesday after he "snatched a firearm from a policeman and tried to escape from custody" during a crime scene reconstruction exercise, police said. Another absconding accused, Kabir Molla, was arrested on Wednesday, taking the total number of arrests in the rape-murder case to four. Besides Mondal, Anand Sardar and Dibakar Sardar had earlier been booked. PTI PNT SMY BSM BDC SMY NN