The Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday called off its their bike rally after alleging that Trinamool Congress workers attacked the participants in several areas across Kolkata, reported ANI. The event was organised to mark the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda.
Clashes between the BJP and the TMC were first reported from Pathuriaghata Street in North Kolkata, according to ABP Ananda. The BJP alleged that TMC workers attacked them when they were about to start their rally. The BJP said many of its volunteers were injured.
The TMC, on the other hand, said the BJP workers passed lewd remarks about women on the street. A group of BJP workers also allegedly attacked passers-by and vandalised vehicles. The police force was sent to the spot to bring the situation under control.
Tension soon spread to Central Avenue where BJP workers attacked TMC volunteers, alleged the latter. On Red Road, workers of both the parties pelted stones at each other.
The Calcutta High Court on Thursday had appointed two special officers to ensure law and order is maintained during the bike rally. The West Bengal Police had earlier denied permission to the BJP to hold the bike rally as it would coincide with the Gangasagar Mela – when lakhs of devotees visit Sagar Island in South 24 Parganas district on the occasion of Makar Sankranti. However, on Wednesday, the High Court struck down the government’s order and allowed the party’s youth wing to go ahead with the rally.
On Friday, state BJP President Dilip Ghosh demanded that President’s Rule be imposed in the state. “Our workers were all set to take out our proposed bike rally after getting the Calcutta High Court order,” he said. “But TMC workers foiled our attempts by attacking our workers at several places. Firstly, they attacked our workers at Binani Bhawan. Later they attacked our workers outside our state headquarters. We are not being allowed to take out the bike rally despite court orders. We have decided to cancel our programme”.
After the court’s ruling, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had warned that the BJP would be responsible for any untoward incident that may take place during the Gangasagar Mela. “If there is any trouble at Gangasagar, the annual Hindu pilgrimage in Bengal, you will be responsible, you who are doing all kinds of conspiracies,” Banerjee said without naming the BJP. “Thirty lakh people have come for the event, but they want to indulge in mischief and conspiracies against Bengal.”
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