In Kolkata, many of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) workers were injured during a lathi charge by the police. Twelve persons were arrested, including five party MLAs.
There was a clash between the police and five party MLAs. The Left Front supporters were on their way to the Nabanna building.
Around noon time, in front of the Nabanna’s North gate, the five CPM MLAs coupled with seven others were arrested for their unexpected presence. The college, Vidyasagar Setu, which is near the Nabanna building was shut because of the traffic.
The full stretch between Hastings and Esplanade turned into a battleground with stones and bamboo sticks which were scattered everywhere.
CPI-M supporters threw stones at the police because of which the police lobbed tear gas shells. Many CPI-M workers were injured in the lathi charge. Former CPM minister Kanti Ganguly was also hurt in the commotion.
The Party leader and the CPI-M MLA in the Assembly Sujan Chakraborty, along with the MLAs Manas Mukherjee, Ashok Bhattacharya, Tanmoy Bhattacharya and Anisur Rahman were arrested as they suddenly appeared in private cars and tried to enter the Secretariat. The police were bemused for a few minutes. They were initially reluctant to stop the MLAs but soon they pushed the MLAs to the prison vans and they were taken to the Shibpur Police Station. However, a probe is on to find out how the CPI-M MLAs reached Nabanna.
Sujan Chakraborty said, “They had come to meet the CM, but as she is afraid to face the common man she had fled Nabanna.”
The pathway to Nabanna was clogged by a layer of barricades including steel railings. However, at Hastings, the CPI-M supporters tried to force their way to Nabanna, as the road to the secretariat via Vidyasagar Setu was completely sealed. The CPM workers threw stones at the policemen and even ambushed the police with bamboo sticks.
The CPM State Secretary Biman Bose sat on the ground in protest along with some other leaders when the police started the lathi charge. Bose said, “Democratic rights to protest were breached.”
Former CPI-M minister Surjakanta Mishra commanded an immediate release of the MLAs who were arrested.
