BJP-cops clash at Hooghly during protest rally against Waqf unrest and job cuts

A protest march organised by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Hooghly turned violent on Tuesday as party workers clashed with police while heading towards the District Magistrate’s (DM) office. The demonstration, led by BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar, was launched to address issues including alleged job terminations, recent unrest in Murshidabad linked to the Waqf Act, and other local grievances.

The march began from Gate No. 3 in Chinsurah and proceeded towards the Hooghly DM office. According to BJP members, the rally was intended to culminate in the submission of a memorandum to the DM. However, heavy police barricading was in place near Ghari More, close to the office. As police stopped the protesters, clashes broke out. BJP workers allegedly broke through two barricades during a confrontation with the police.

Large numbers of police personnel had been deployed in advance around the DM office to prevent escalation. Despite that, the situation became tense as the protesters attempted to move forward. The clash involved pushing and shoving between the police and BJP supporters. Protesters claimed they were prevented from peacefully reaching the DM’s office, while police maintained crowd control near the barricaded zone.

During the protest, BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar made remarks against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, which protesters described as part of their agitation. BJP supporters also stated that the police intervention ultimately stopped them from handing over their deputation to the district administration, which they said included several demands related to recent incidents in the state.

The protest follows recent unrest in parts of Murshidabad related to the Waqf law. According to officials, more than 300 people have been arrested so far in connection with the disturbances. In a separate case, four individuals including the main accused have been arrested in connection with the murder of a father and son in Jafarabad. In response to the overall situation, the Chief Minister has appealed to the public to maintain peace and order across the state.