The 12-hour general strike called by the BJP in West Bengal to protest against the police action on protesters during the 'Nabanna Abhijan' rally, began on Wednesday morning. Over 200 people were arrested on Tuesday after the rally triggered chaos and disruptions.
Videos from Kolkata showed vehicles keeping off the roads. Private buses did not ply while government buses were few and far between.
The BJP workers were also seen disrupting rail traffic at Krishnanagar railway station. Similar shutdowns were seen at several other railway stations, including at Ranaghat, Murshidabad and Baharampur. Local train services, including Bandel-Howrah local, were also disrupted at Hooghly station. Local media also reported instances of violence between TMC and BJP workers in various places, including Balurghat and Malda.
The BJP workers had hit the road in the morning to make the bandh successful. BJP leader Agnimitra Paul was also seen reviewing the bandh call.
However, the West Bengal government urged people not to respond to the bandh call. "We urge people not to participate in it. All steps shall be taken to ensure that normal life is unaffected," said Alapan Bandopadhyay, the chief advisor to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
The state also issued a notification stating that all government offices would remain open and all employees, except those facing exigencies or are on leave, would have to report for duty on August 28 or face show cause for their unauthorised absence. The ruling party also hit back at the BJP, stating the bandh call was given as the chaos on the streets during Tuesday's march revealed the BJP was behind it. The march exposed its conspiracy to create political conspiracy in the state, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said.
The 12-hour general strike called by the BJP in West Bengal to protest against the police action on protesters during the 'Nabanna Abhijan' rally, began on Wednesday morning. Over 200 people were arrested on Tuesday after the rally triggered chaos and disruptions.
Videos from Kolkata showed vehicles keeping off the roads. Private buses did not ply while government buses were few and far between.
The BJP workers were also seen disrupting rail traffic at Krishnanagar railway station. Similar shutdowns were seen at several other railway stations, including at Ranaghat, Murshidabad and Baharampur. Local train services, including Bandel-Howrah local, were also disrupted at Hooghly station. Local media also reported instances of violence between TMC and BJP workers in various places, including Balurghat and Malda.
The BJP workers had hit the road in the morning to make the bandh successful. BJP leader Agnimitra Paul was also seen reviewing the bandh call.
However, the West Bengal government urged people not to respond to the bandh call. "We urge people not to participate in it. All steps shall be taken to ensure that normal life is unaffected," said Alapan Bandopadhyay, the chief advisor to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
The state also issued a notification stating that all government offices would remain open and all employees, except those facing exigencies or are on leave, would have to report for duty on August 28 or face show cause for their unauthorised absence.
The ruling party also hit back at the BJP, stating the bandh call was given as the chaos on the streets during Tuesday's march revealed the BJP was behind it. The march exposed its conspiracy to create political conspiracy in the state, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said.
The 'Nabanna Abhijan' rally had turned violent after police lathi-charged, and used water cannons and tear gas to disperse protesters who threw stones and bricks at security forces. Chaos erupted after the agitators tried to make their way through barricades to march towards the West Bengal secretariat Nabanna'.
Kolkata Police sources told PTI that 126 members and supporters of Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj, one of the organisers of the rally, were arrested. Out of them, 33 were women. According to the police, they had to use a water cannon and resort to a lathi charge after the agitators breached barricades at some locations and attacked security personnel. Fifteen personnel of the Kolkata Police and 14 from the state police force were injured in the clashes.
"We are used to tackling such unruly mobs and our officers have handled the situation well. We have detained several people and the law will take its course," a senior police officer of Kolkata Police said.