“We were stopped, but ….” Sanjay Raut on West Bengal bandh

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], August 28 (ANI): Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Wednesday accused the Centre of double standards, stating that the Bengal Bandh was not stopped as there is an anti-BJP government in West Bengal while a similar bandh was stopped in the BJP-led Maharashtra government.

“When we had given a call for bandh, then we were stopped. Because (Prime Minister Narendra) Modiji is running the government here. Here, Amit Shah is running the government. The same incident of sexual assault took place here too,” he told reporters here.

He was responding to the 12-hour Bengal Bandh given by the BJP in the aftermath of protests triggered by the murder and alleged sexual assault and murder of a woman trainee doctor on August 28 in Kolkata.

“We were stopped. But it (Bengal Bandh) was not stopped, as there is a Mamata Didi government in West Bengal. Anti-BJP government. This is our justice system. Double standard,” Raut said.

The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi had called for a Bandh to protest against the alleged sexual assault of two girls in Maharashtra’s Badlapur earlier in the month.

Raut mentioned that the accused was arrested and the Mamata Banerjee government took the police action in the RG Kar Medical and Hospital incident. “Still, the BJP is attacking the police there,” he alleged.

Earlier today, the Trinamool Congress party workers staged a protest against BJP’s 12-hour ‘Bengal Bandh’ call against the alleged police crackdown on “peaceful” protest during ‘Nabanna Abhijan’ – march.

The Trinamool Congress accused the BJP of trying to create anarchy in Bengal.

“We all want justice in the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case. Mamata Banerjee also wants justice…the case is now in CBI’s hands…One accused has been arrested…now the CBI is investigating the matter…They (BJP) are trying to create anarchy here, yesterday they attacked the police and today they have called this bandh…Everything is normal in Bengal…The people of West Bengal have rejected BJP’s bandh,” said TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh.

On Tuesday, the rally termed “Nabanna Abhiyan” started from College Square in the capital of West Bengal, amid heightened security around the West Bengal state secretariat with protestors gathering at the Santragachi area in Howrah.

Later, the police hosed protestors with water cannons as they climbed atop police barricades, clashed with police personnel and broke the barricades at Santragachi in Howrah during the protest march.

Protestors also dragged away police barricades and police resorted to opening lathi-charge and lobbing tear gas shells to disperse them.