Clashes at Amit Shah's roadshow in Kolkata
Kolkata, May 14: Clashes broke out between BJP supporters and student activists and those of the Left and Trinamool Congress Chatra Parishad (TMCP) during Amit Shah's roadshow in the city on Tuesday, officials said.
Trouble began after stones were pelted at Amit Shah's convoy as it passed through College Street and the arterial Bidhan Sarani on its way to Swami Vivekananda's residence in north Kolkata, a little over 3.5 km from Esplanade in the heart of the city, where it began.
A scuffle broke outside the Calcutta University campus on College Street, when student activists of both the Left and the TMCP shouted slogans against Shah, they said.
They showed black flags and waved posters with "Amit Shah go back" written on them.
The police controlled the scuffle.
A clash took place outside Vidyasagar college and university hostel when TMCP activists threw stones at Shah's convoy, the officials said.
The agitated BJP supporters locked the gates of the hostel and set cycles and motorbikes parked outside on fire.
They also threw stones at the building.
A bust of Ishwar Chandra Vidysagar, after whom the college is named, which was outside hostel building was broken by BJP supporters during the clash, the officials said.
A huge police contingent was rushed to the spot and controlled the situation, they added.
#WATCH Clashes broke out in roadshow of BJP President Amit Shah in Kolkata after sticks were hurled at Shah’s truck. #WestBengal pic.twitter.com/t8bnf31vGA
— ANI (@ANI) May 14, 2019
#WATCH: Visuals after clashes broke out at BJP President Amit Shah's roadshow in Kolkata. #WestBengal pic.twitter.com/laSeN2mGzn
— ANI (@ANI) May 14, 2019
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Will vacate one of two assembly seats won in 10 days: BJP''s Suvendu
Kolkata (PTI): BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, who defeated West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur and secured Nandigram for three times in a row in the recent assembly polls, said on Wednesday that he would vacate one of the two constituencies within 10 days.
Adhikari also asserted that the party's central leadership would decide which constituency he would retain.
"I will vacate one seat within 10 days. The party will decide which one I retain. I will not forget my responsibility towards the people of Bhabanipur and Nandigram," he said.
Adhikari on Monday defeated Banerjee in Bhabanipur by over 15,000 votes, puncturing what was long seen as her safest political refuge and delivering a decisive psychological blow to the TMC, amid a sweeping BJP surge across West Bengal.
Addressing party workers and supporters in Nandigram in Purba Medinipur district, the BJP leader appealed to them not to take out victory processions immediately and instead maintain peace.
"Do not take out victory rallies now. Maintain peace and discipline. Celebrate after May 9, after taking permission," he told party workers.
State BJP president Samik Bhattacharya on Wednesday announced that the oath-taking ceremony of the new government will be held on May 9 at Brigade Parade Ground.
Referring to alleged attacks on BJP workers during the TMC regime, Adhikari said he would not forget the “atrocities" faced by them and assured them of taking appropriate action against perpetrators through legal processes.
"I was part of the 2011 ‘poribartan’ (change), and now I am part of the real change. I offer my gratitude to the people of Nandigram," Adhikari said.
He was referring to the TMC's victory in 2011 when the Mamata Banerjee party dismantled the 34-year Left Front regime in the state.
Adhikari offered prayers at a Hanuman statue in Nandigram and remembered the BJP workers, who had died in political violence.
"We will work in such a way that the BJP government in Bengal stays for 100 years," he said, expressing hope that the BJP’s vote share in the state would rise from the current 46 per cent to 60 per cent in future elections.
The BJP leader also assured residents of Nandigram of improved drinking water supply and better hospital and education infrastructure.
