Kolkata: The Congress has called a 12-hour bandh across West Bengal on Friday, this, after day long protests on the streets of Kolkata and the districts during which at least five buses were set on fire.
In Kolkata alone, there were 40 road blockades during the day and 143 people arrested. The protests came a day after nine Congress MLAs were attacked by alleged CPM supporters in Bardhaman district.
The chief minister has condemned the incident and promised action against party workers if they were involved in the attack. The Trinamool will support the bandh in principle.
First there was a blockade at Howrah Bridge and then the bus burning spree. Not just at Howrah Bridge, as angry Congress workers took to the streets, buses burned at Gariahat, Howrah Maidan, Uluberia and Kandi in Murshidabad district.
Here is what they were protesting - 9 Congress MLAs forced to run for their lives at Mangalkote in Bardhaman district after an attack by alleged CPM workers. Mangalkote has been tense since 15 June when CPM leader Falguni Mukherjee was killed.
"The chief minister has no right to continue in office," said Manash Bhuiyan, Congress MLA.
In the Assembly, Buddhadeb Bhattacharya condemned the attack on the Congress MLAs and promised action on CPM workers if they were involved in it.
"We have strongly condemned yesterday's incident. Such an incident should not have happened. And those responsible must be punished," said Biman Bose, Left Front Chairman.
The Left's assurances were not enough. The Congress called a 12-hour bandh Bangla bandh on Friday. The Trinamool will support the bandh in principle.