The Kolkata Police heavily crackdown on left-wing students protesting against the state sponsored murder of Abu Sayeed in Bangladesh in Exide More, Kolkata on 19th July 2024.
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What Were The Protests All About?
For more than a week, the students in Bangladesh have been protesting against the quota system, which was originally repealed in 2018 and again re-enacted this year. According to this quota, 30% of the jobs in Bangladesh will be reserved for the descendants of the martyrs in the 1971 Liberation War. But in reality, the quotas were indirectly meant for the loyalists of Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League, which has been in power in Bangladesh since the year 2008.
While the students across universities in Bangladesh demanded for a repeal of this discriminatory quota system, Sheikh Hasina’s attribution to the protestors as “Razakars” (betrayers) sparked nation-wide protests against the regime. The students have no problem with the quotas provided to the disabled’s and ethnic minorities but have significantly raised voice against the special quotas for the 1971 martyrs, which works for the interests of the individuals close to the Awami League.
Various students in Bangladesh involved in the anti-quota protests have been killed, numerous injured. The Government of Sheikh Hasina has shut down every educational institution nationwide and has cut off internet connectivity from the general public.
Protests March in Kolkata
A protest march was organised by All India Democratic Students Organisation (AIDSO) from Fine Arts Academy, Exide More, Rabindra Sadan, Kolkata on 19th July 2024, with the goal to march through the streets raising voice against the murder of Abu Sayeed in Bangladesh, a martyr involved in the protests against the quota system.
At nearly 3.30pm, the Kolkata Police arrived at the spot and crackdowned over the protestors, arresting and detaining a large number of students present. While a large number of students blocked the roads near Nandan, police started to lathicharge over the unarmed students, dragging them into police vans as they tried to escape.
The Kolkata Police used arbitrary methods to arrest the students protesting peacefully against the atrocities committed by Hasina in Bangladesh, meanwhile accusing The High Commissioner of Bangladesh in Sealdah, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee to have extensive relations with Hasina and accused them to have facilitated this lathicharge over the students.
Going against law, the policemen even dragged a woman student mercilessly while she fell down on the ground. The atrocities committed by the police in the spot underlines a one of many such clear message of how states have gained a monopoly in suppressing voices of protests across.
The Arrested Students
Of the 150 students taking part in the protests, hardly 10-15 have managed to escape. The rest were arrested, and truck loaded by the Kolkata Police soon after the match started from its destination. It was put to an end before it even started.
According to the involved students, the police have taken away the detained students to Lal Bazar Police Station and Maidan Police Station.
Bengali Cross-Border Solidarity
After the violent suppression of peaceful protests in Bangladesh, the Kolkata Police violently suppressed the protests in Rabindra Sadan too. Students being lathicharge and detained marks the questions over the freedom of individuals to peacefully protest against injustice.
It seems like the students of Kolkata are with the students of Bangladesh to raise their voice against injustice. This cross-border Bengali solidarity was marked by the leftist groups involved in today’s protest, upon which the police used violent repressive measures.
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