Daijiworld Media Network - Kolkata
Kolkata, Dec 24: Members of a pro-Hindu organisation staged demonstrations at several land ports along the India–Bangladesh border in West Bengal on Wednesday, protesting the killing of a minority community member in the neighbouring country.
Tension was also reported in Howrah district, where clashes broke out between police personnel and BJP supporters during a protest march. Trouble erupted after police stopped a BJP procession before it could reach the Howrah Bridge, leading to heated arguments and scuffles between protesters and security forces.
“We will not allow anyone to disrupt normal life or inconvenience commuters in the garb of protest. We will act in accordance with the law to prevent any attempt to create unrest,” a senior Howrah Police officer told PTI.
As police blocked the march, protesters sat on the road and allegedly tried to break through barricades, prompting clashes. Police claimed the demonstrators turned aggressive, forcing security personnel to intervene and disperse them.
Members of the Sanatani Aikya Parishad held protests at multiple border points, including Petrapole and Ghojadanga land ports in North 24 Parganas district, Manoharpur Muchia in Malda district, and Changrabandha in Cooch Behar district, alleging atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh.
In North 24 Parganas, BJP MLA Ashok Kirtania led a procession from Jayantipur Bazar towards the Petrapole border. The march was stopped near the zero point by the Border Security Force, which erected barricades to prevent the protesters from advancing. Demonstrators raised slogans and voiced strong resentment against the Md Yunus-led administration in Bangladesh.
During the protest, Kirtania said border trade should remain suspended to “teach a lesson” to the Bangladesh government until the safety and rights of minorities in the country are ensured. Similar demonstrations were also reported at the Ghojadanga land port.
However, Kartik Chakraborty of the Petrapole Clearing Agents’ Association said that trade operations were not affected, as the protests were confined to the roads and the trade zone remained secured by the BSF.
At the Manoharpur border in Malda, members of the Hindu community held a symbolic protest by playing traditional musical instruments such as the khol and kartal.
Protesters alleged that the West Bengal Police used force against demonstrators and claimed that men and women participating in the protests were “tortured”. They said the agitations would continue in the coming days.
The protests were sparked by the killing of Dipu Chandra Das, a 25-year-old garment factory worker, who was allegedly lynched by a mob and his body set on fire on December 18 over charges of blasphemy in Baluka area of Bangladesh’s Mymensingh district.
Since Monday, the Hindu community and the BJP have organised multiple protest marches in Kolkata and several districts of West Bengal. On Tuesday, hundreds of protesters attempted to march to the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata. The rally, which began from Sealdah, was stopped by police at Beckbagan. When demonstrators tried to breach barricades, police resorted to a baton charge, leaving several people injured.