Nabanna march: Suvendu, other BJP leaders detained; Police vehicle torched in Howrah

Kolkata, Sep 13: Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari was detained on Monday while trying to visit Santragachi during the BJP's protest march to state secretariat 'Nabanna' over alleged corruption by the ruling Trinamool Congress government.

The police also arrested state BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar arrested. He said Mamata Banerjee is scared and ran away after seeing the strength of the people gathered here. "Only 30 per cent are here today, some of the rest were detained yesterday," he said.

BJP MP Locket Chatterjee and party leader Rahul Sinha were also detained and whisked away in a prison van.

A clash broke out between Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers and Police outside the Raniganj railway station while they proceeded with the 'Nabanna Cholo' (march to secretatiat) mega rally.

Hundreds of BJP workers have claimed they were stopped on their way to join the party's Nabanna march.

"With hundreds of BJP workers heading towards Kolkata to join BJP's Nabanna march via trains, police barricaded paths to railway stations. 20 of our workers were stopped by police near Durgapur railway station. I reached here using other paths," said BJP leader Abhijit Dutta.

The cops have also put up barricades at critical areas like Howrah to tackle any untoward law and order situation as the BJP is holding the march despite no permission from authorities.

Meanwhile, a police vehicle was also torched in Kolkata.

West Bengal | Police vehicle torched amid BJP's 'Nabanna Chalo' march against the state government, in Kolkata pic.twitter.com/e6jqE3VIEs

— ANI (@ANI) September 13, 2022

Reacting to the incident, BJP leader Amit Malviya said that "a fearful Mamata Banerjee, in order to stop few lakh people from reaching Nobanno, has ensured barricading across WB, ensuring that the whole State comes to a grinding halt [sic]".

A fearful Mamata Banerjee, in order to stop few lakh people from reaching Nobanno, has ensured barricading across WB, ensuring that the whole State comes to a grinding halt. This is called cutting off one’s nose to spite one’s face. BJP workers will still reach.#CholoNobanno

— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) September 13, 2022

BJP's Suvendu Adhikari also slammed Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, saying the "barricade of steel raised at Santragachi symbolizes her anxiety and timidity".

Mamata Police is on a war footing, trying to crush a democratic political event.
The barricade of steel raised at Santragachi symbolizes her anxiety & timidity.
Remember this @MamataOfficial, no wall can stand up to the 'wave of democracy', it would be breached sooner than later. pic.twitter.com/0HKUNBf64s

— Suvendu Adhikari • শুভেন্দু অধিকারী (@SuvenduWB) September 13, 2022

"Police is on a war footing, trying to crush a democratic political event. The barricade of steel raised at Santragachi symbolizes her anxiety & timidity. Remember this @MamataOfficial, no wall can stand up to the 'wave of democracy', it would be breached sooner than later," Suvendu Adhikari said in a tweet.