Students hold posters during protest in Kolkata (ANI)
New Delhi: A newly formed student group called Paschimbanga Chhatra Samaj has emerged in recent weeks and is organizing a protest rally called 'Nabanna Abhijan' in Kolkata on Tuesday, where they will demand that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee step down due to her handling of the RG Kar Hospital rape and murder case. Although the authorities have declared the event unlawful, the student group is determined to proceed with their march to the state secretariat, which has been heavily fortified with a large police presence to prevent any potential disturbances.
Paschimbanga Chhatra Samaj is a student group that has not been officially registered, and it is being led by three individuals: Prabir Das, a graduate student at Rabindra Bharati University, Subhankar Halder, a student at Kalyani University, and Sayan Lahiri, a student at Rabindra Mukta University, who are working together to organize the rally.
The students leading the protest have made it clear that their group, Paschimbanga Chhatra Samaj, is not aligned with any political party and is focused solely on bringing about change. According to Sayan Lahiri, one of the student protesters, the government's mishandling of the recent rape and murder case has demonstrated the Chief Minister's inability to lead effectively, proving her to be "incompetent" in her role.
Sayan Lahiri outlined the protesters' three key demands to the media: firstly, justice for Abhaya, secondly, capital punishment for the perpetrator, and thirdly, the resignation of Mamata Banerjee, citing her dual role as Health Minister and overseer of the state police.
Notably, the junior doctors leading the movement for justice for the 31-year-old trainee doctor have chosen not to associate themselves with the 'Nabanna Abhijan' rally, opting instead to organize a separate protest on Wednesday in Central Kolkata.
The Left has decided to boycott the rally, with Minakshi Mukherjee, a CPI(M) youth leader, announcing that SFI and DYFI, the student wings of the Left, will not take part. According to Mukherjee, the rally's connection to an RSS-backed organization is the primary reason for their decision to abstain.
The Trinamool Congress has made accusations against the BJP, claiming they are behind the 'Nabanna Abhijan' rally and intend to spark violence. At a press conference, TMC leaders Kunal Ghosh and Chandrima Bhattacharya presented videos allegedly showing BJP leaders planning to incite police to open fire on protesters.
Chandrima Bhattacharya pointed out that the student outfit organizing the rally did not obtain the necessary police permission for the march to the high-security zone of the West Bengal state secretariat. "Police permission is required for any kind of rally or dharna, but no one has approached the police so far. It is clear who is behind it. They are taking the name of a student forum."
Bhattacharya stated that any public gathering, including rallies or protests, requires prior police permission. However, no such permission has been sought for this event, revealing the true organizers behind the facade of a student forum. Additionally, the area surrounding Nabanna is subject to Section 163 of BNSS, which restricts gatherings. Notably, Suvendu Adhikari, the Leader of the Opposition, has publicly stated that violence, including firing of bullets, is expected on August 27.
The BJP has vehemently denied the TMC's allegations, stating that they are not associated with the rally but will support the movement. "It is not called by the BJP. We support anyone who is speaking up against the atrocities and this case," senior BJP leader Rahul Sinha said.
Rahul Sinha criticized Mamata Banerjee for attempting to politicize the issue, saying, "We know that Mamata Banerjee wants to politicize this issue. It is a mass issue. She doesn't want this rally to happen, but why did she do the rally in 1993 that led to so many deaths?"
Sinha referenced the 1993 rally led by Mamata Banerjee, then with the Congress, which resulted in the deaths of 13 Congress workers in police firing. This incident is commemorated as Martyr's Day in Bengal, highlighting the irony of Mamata Banerjee's current stance on the rally.
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