"Double standards" of the Left Front, Congress: Mamata over WB violence during bandh

Kolkata, Jan 09: The sporadic incident of violence and arson across Bengal on Wednesday during the Bharat Bandh irked West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Once who joined the hands with Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi to banish BJP now said, "double standards" of the Left Front and Congress will not be tolerated. She denied attending the opposition meeting called by Congress interim president. The state witnessed massive violence during the 24-hour bandh called by the trade union activists backed by Left and Congress members on Wednesday.

On Thursday, said that she will boycott the January 13 opposition meeting convened by Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi to protest against the violence unleashed in the state allegedly by Left Front and Congress workers during a trade union strike.

Reportedly, sporadic incidents of violence were reported from various parts of West Bengal on Wednesday during the 24 hours strike called by the trade union activists backed by Left and Congress members against the Centre's "anti-people" policies.

Incidents of violence and arson, blocking of railway tracks and roads by protestors trying to enforce the shutdown took place in several places in the state.

In Sujapur area of Malda district in West Bengal massive violence occur during a road blockade by protesters. The agitators vandalised government buses, burnt tires on road and set ablaze several vehicles including a police vans.

The protesters hurled crude bombs and pelted stones at the police. Police tried to control the mob with baton charging, firing tear gas shells and rubber bullets.

Mamata on Thursday said, "double standards" of the Left Front and Congress will not be tolerated.

She also decided to boycott the meeting convened by Sonia Gandhi on January 13 in New Delhi as she doesn't support the violence that the Left and Congress unleashed in Bengal on Wednesday.

On January 13, Sonia has called a meeting of opposition parties, including the Left, to discuss the situation arising out of violence on various university campuses and protests in the country over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019.

On Wednesday, clashes also erupted between CPI(M) and Kolkata police in the Jadavpur area of the city as the cops resorted to baton charge to remove rail and road blockade by CPI(M) workers during the Bharat Bandh.

The Senior CPI(M) MLA Sujan Chakraborty was also arrested amid the protest that took place on during Bharat Bandh.