Kolkata Nabanna Abhijan Rally | Nabanna turned into a fort before the protest, security forces and drones deployed, demand for resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee

The area around Nabanna has been turned into a fortress with three-tier security by Kolkata Police and Howrah City Police for the ‘Nabanna Abhiyan’ called by the Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj. Barricades have been put up at 19 points, while five aluminium barricades have been installed at other key points.

 

Additional forces from various districts have already been brought to Kolkata. Apart from the Kolkata Police and Howrah City Police, Heavy Radio Flying Squad (HRFS), Rapid Action Force (RAF), Quick Reaction Team (QRT), drones and water cannons have been deployed to deal with any possible chaos during the protests.

Additional Commissioner of Police rank officers are in charge of maintaining law and order. Joint CP and DCP rank officers will be in charge at various points including Howrah Bridge, Hastings and Hooghly Bridge. The police are concentrating on key points like Hastings, Shibpur Road, Howrah Bridge and Howrah Maidan.

The Kolkata police have emailed the organisers of ‘Nabanna Abhijan’ seeking details about the number of people who will be present at the rally, names of leaders leading the protest march, how many rallies will be organised and what will be the route of the protest. However, the police are yet to receive any response from the student organisation.

 

Earlier on Monday, the West Bengal Police said the protest was “illegal” and that they had not received any permission for such a march towards Nabanna. The police cited intelligence inputs about possible chaos and violence during the protest and a conspiracy against policemen.According to an intelligence report, two massive rallies will be organised from College Square in Kolkata and Santragachi in Howrah.The rally is expected to begin at 1 pm on Tuesday. Special arrangements have been made at the College Square as the police have received intelligence about a large number of people gathering there.

The distance from College Square to Nabanna is 10 kilometres and the second rally from Santragachi in Howrah to Nabanna is about three kilometres.

The rally will be organised by Prabir Das, MA student of Rabindra Bharati University, Subhankar Haldar, MA B.Ed of Kalyani University and Sayan Lahiri of Rabindra Mukta University. The students claimed that they are apolitical and demanded the resignation of Mamata Banerjee.Speaking to the media, Lahiri said the protest began with a Facebook post that said the chief minister was “incompetent”. He said the protest has three aims.Lahiri said, “We have three demands – justice for Abhaya, death penalty for the culprit and resignation of Mamata Banerjee as she is not only the health minister but also handles the state police.”

Interestingly, the protesting junior doctors, who are leading the agitation demanding justice for the trainee doctor, have distanced themselves from the ‘Nabanna Abhijan’ call on Tuesday. Instead, they have called for a separate rally in central Kolkata on Wednesday.

In view of the planned ‘Nabanna Abhijana’ march, traffic is likely to be affected in the western parts of Kolkata, including Vidyasagar Setu and its ramps, Khidderpur Road, Taratala Road, DH Road, Circular Garden, Reach Road, Garden Reach Road, Hyde Road, Coal Berth Road, Remount Road, all other feeder roads connecting these major roads and the Kolkata Dock and Port System.

Other places where traffic may be affected are: JL Nehru Road, RR Avenue, Red Road, New Road, Dufferin Road, Mayo Road, Outram Road, Hospital Road, Lovers Lane, Queensway, Casuarina Avenue, Cathedral Road, AJC Bose Road, SN Banerjee Road, Old Court House Street, Council House Street, Kingsway, St Georges Gate Road, Strand Road, MG Road, Strand Bank Road, KK Tagore Street, Kalakar Street, Brabourne Road and Howrah Bridge.

Goods vehicles and other vehicular traffic may also be diverted from any main road and feeder road by the traffic police on duty whenever deemed necessary on that day. These restrictions will be applicable on Tuesday in addition to other general restrictions.

In a press conference, Trinamool Congress released a video alleging that the BJP was organising ‘Nabanna Abhijan’ and wanted to incite violence during the protest.

Trinamool leaders Chandrima Bhattacharya and Kunal Ghosh showed the video and claimed that BJP leaders were planning to provoke the police to open fire on the protesters.

Bhattacharya said that Mamata Banerjee herself had come out on the streets and demanded justice for the trainee doctor.

He said, “The entire matter is in the Supreme Court. No permission has been taken from the police for ‘Nabanna Abhijan’. Police permission is required for any kind of rally, but no one has approached the police yet. Now it is clear who is behind this. They are taking the name of Chhatra Manch. Prohibitory orders have been imposed in and around Nabanna.” He said, “Protests can be done with permission and peacefully, but anarchy in the name of protest cannot be allowed. The Leader of Opposition (Suvendu Adhikari) had already said that bullets will be fired on August 27.” The BJP hit back, denying the Trinamool’s allegations and saying it had nothing to do with the protest march. However, the party said it would support the agitation. BJP leader Rahul Sinha said, “This is not called by the BJP. We support anyone who speaks against atrocities. We understand that Mamata Banerjee wants to politicise the issue. It is a broader social issue.” On the other hand, the CPI-M, once a major force in West Bengal, said it would not participate in the ‘Nabanna Abhijan’ protest, alleging it was being organised by an “RSS-backed body”. CPI-M leader Meenakshi Mukherjee said the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), the party’s student and youth wings, would not participate in the protest march.

On August 9, the body of the trainee doctor, a second-year postgraduate student, was found in the seminar hall of RG Kar Hospital. The post-mortem later confirmed that the victim, a second-year postgraduate student, was raped and murdered.

Sanjoy Roy, a civic volunteer attached to the Kolkata police, was arrested the next day in connection with the incident and is in judicial custody. The CBI, which is probing the rape-murder case, conducted a polygraph test on Roy on Sunday.

There have been several protests in Kolkata and across the country demanding action against the culprits and justice for the victim. Protesters, including nurses and resident doctors, have demanded strict laws to deal with rape and murder.

Meanwhile, the Kolkata Police has extended the prohibitory orders near RG Kar Medical College and Hospital for another week till August 31.

These orders, first imposed on August 18, prohibit gatherings and meetings of more than five people in a specified area. The extension is aimed at preventing disturbances and maintaining peace and order in the area.