The DYFI activists and youth representatives of 10 left youth parties came to a massive clash with police after the former were carrying a mass rally towards Nabanna. According to the SFI leader Srijan Bhattacharya, it was a planned attack by the police “in the style of Jalianwalla Bagh”. Srijan said the protesters were carrying rosogollas to distribute among the police. “It was a peaceful march in which we wanted to tell the police that it was a day of joy for them as well, as with Mamata Banerjee’s government’s departure the Left-Congress government would grant them their D.A. (Dearness Allowance) and they would not have to hide under tables anymore,” said Srijan at a press conference after the Nabanna Abhijan. The protesters were carrying placards, cutouts and red cards which they were planning to show to government representatives.
The Left youth leaders claimed that the tear gas used against them was poisonous and many of their comrades fell ill. The police resorted to an indiscriminate lathi charge, they said. “There are rules in lathi charges and issues relating to human rights. They were using the lathis to deliberately crack open the heads of students. Innumerable young women and other students were injured. We did not see any women police.As of now, 400-500 young protesters have been admitted to three or four hospitals in the city.The police lathi-charged us even when we were removing the injured from the scene,” said Srijan. The police alleged that the protesters were attacking them by throwing stones and bricks. One police officer was reportedly injured in the violence.
Bengali