On Tuesday, a clash between police and protesters in Kolkata resulted in at least 245 arrests, with tear gas canisters and water cannons being used to disperse the crowd. Following this, supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) organized a day-long shutdown of the city, leading to further skirmishes with supporters of the All India Trinamool Congress (AITMC) on Wednesday. Protesters set up barricades to block roads and railway lines, causing clashes between rival party workers in Kolkata and surrounding districts.
Former BJP lawmaker Arjun Singh claimed that his party loyalists were attacked by AITMC supporters, resulting in injuries to two individuals. AITMC activists reportedly blocked roads to prevent BJP supporters from marching, leading to disruptions in train services as protesters occupied railway tracks. Despite these incidents, police were able to eventually establish a tenuous peace between the warring factions.
The political tensions in Kolkata reached a boiling point when clashes between BJP and AITMC supporters escalated into violent confrontations. The use of tear gas and water cannons by police further exacerbated the situation, leading to a significant number of arrests. The day-long shutdown organized by BJP supporters only added fuel to the fire, resulting in more clashes and road closures across the city.
The escalating violence and unrest in Kolkata underscored the polarization and deep-seated animosity between BJP and AITMC supporters. The accusation by Arjun Singh of an attack on BJP loyalists by AITMC activists highlighted the volatile nature of the situation, with both sides engaging in aggressive tactics to assert their dominance. The disruption of train services added to the chaos, as protesters continued to block railway tracks as a form of protest, further intensifying the turmoil in the city.
Despite efforts by police to maintain order and prevent further clashes, the underlying tensions between the two political factions remained unresolved. The enforcement of an uneasy peace may have temporarily quelled the violence, but the deep-rooted grievances and rivalries between BJP and AITMC supporters continued to simmer beneath the surface. The events in Kolkata served as a stark reminder of the fragility of peace in the face of intense political rivalries and the potential for further conflict to erupt at any moment.
