WB streets boils up, youth wing of Communist party stages protest against unemployment

Kolkata, Sep 13: Clash broke out in Howrah, West Bengal on Friday after youth wing and student wing of Communist Party of India (Marxist), staged a protest march to the Bengal secretariat. The protesters showed agitation alleging unemployment in the state. Police lathi-charged and used Water-cannons, lobbed tear gas to control the protesters from creating ruckus on the street.

Reportedly, students' Federation of India (SFI) and Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), the students and youth wings of the CPI(M), undertaken a two-day "Nabanna Chalo" (march to the Bengal secretariat) campaign on Thursday, alleging unemployment in the state and pressurising for jobs for all, party sources said.

The march began from Singur in Hoogly district, the venue of the abandoned Tata Nano car plant and is scheduled to move towards Bengal secretariat Nabanna in the Howrah district today.

Fresh clashes broke out between the police and the Left Front activists, who were marching towards the state secretariat, demanding employment for the youth. Several people on the two sides suffered injuries in the clash.

According to the report, police lobbed tear gas shell and resorted to baton charge after activists of the CPI(M)'s student and youth wings pelted stones at them.

The protesters claimed that its activists will reach Nabanna to submit thousands of applications signed by unemployed youth seeking answers form the chief minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee regarding job crisis in the state.

Security has been beefed up in Howrah and cops have erected barricades at Howrah Maidan area, about 4 km away from state secretariat Nabanna to stop the agitators.

Earlier, Kolkata streets turned into a battlefield on Wednesday following a protest by the BJP Yuva Morcha workers marching towards 'Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation (CESC)' office over hike in electricity tariff. The Kolkata Police prevented the protesters in north Kolkata from trying to break the barricade. Police also fired water cannons and did lathi-charge to control the agitation in the area.