Kolkata, Oct. 11 -- The Left Front and student organisations staged protests across Bengal on Sunday, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and the scrapping of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. While Left student unions marched from Sealdah to Dharmatala in Kolkata, a separate march organised by the SUCI in East Midnapore's Bhagabanpur triggered tension, with allegations of an attack by BJP and ABVP supporters.
The march in Kolkata began around 2.30 pm, with members and supporters of the Students' Federation of India (SFI) and the All India Democratic Students' Organisation (AIDSO) participating. The protesters accused the BJP government at the Centre of curtailing democratic rights and attempting to impose an undeclared Emergency in the country.
Referring to recent developments in Delhi, the demonstrators alleged that the conduct of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home minister Amit Shah had heightened political concerns and apprehensions. They reiterated their demand for Kumar's resignation and the cancellation of the SIR process, alleging that it undermined democratic rights.
Meanwhile, tension erupted in Bhagabanpur during a SUCI march organised to demand Kumar's resignation. Left activists alleged that BJP and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) members attacked the procession, leaving several people injured. The Left outfit claimed that the march itself was the reason behind the alleged assault.
The BJP denied the allegations, claiming that protesters from the Left had made abusive remarks during the march. The party maintained that it had no involvement in the incident.
Bhagabanpur MLA Shantanu Pramanik also rejected the allegations against the BJP, stating that the party was not involved. He said the police had been asked to take necessary action.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.