WB: A Fortnight Later, 46 Left Activists Released on Bail

After 14 days, Communist Party of India (Marxist) central committee member Avash Roy Chowdhury and other party workers got interim bail. On August 31, 46 CPI(M) leaders and activists, including Roy Choudhury, were arrested in East Burdwan during the law violation program 'Chor Dhoro Jail Bharo' called by the Left parties to protest recruitment scams and alleged corruption of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government.

After being released on conditional bail yesterday, Avash Roy Chowdhury said, “The fight for the bread and sustenance of the common people and against the terrible corruption of TMC and BJP, the Left's protest will continue. As people's participation in our movement increases, the attacks on us increase. We are on the road. We will continue this fight.”

"The people of the state have seen how the police attacked people with tear gas, batons and water cannons without provocation on the day of law disobedience on August 31. The ongoing struggle over people's demands and the corruption of BJP and TMC will take a bigger shape in the coming days. People have clearly understood what is white and what is black,” Roy Chowdhury added.

After being released on bail, the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) leader Anirban Roychowdhury said, “The left-wing student movement cannot be suppressed by detaining an Anirban. The Chief Minister's Police has made SFI more relevant in the entire state by detaining me unjustly.”

Earlier, some people were granted bail, but 31 people were detained. On this day, justice Chanda Hasmat granted conditional bail to the remaining 31 activists. After the bail, All India Lawyers Union (AILU) leaders Pradeep Aich and Kamal Dutta said, “We have faith in the law. The legal battle will continue against how the accused have been framed in false cases.”

On August 31, two cases were filed against left activists for violating the law. The complainant of one of them was Burdwan Police Station IC, Sukhmoy Chakraborty. Another complaint was made by a TMC worker.

Based on the complaint of the IC of Burdwan police station, a false case was filed against the CPI(M) workers in several categories of obstructing government employees from work, beating, theft, vandalism, abuse, attempted murder, and vandalism of government property, complaints CPIM.

On August 31, East Burdwan became a battleground around the Left's 'law disobedience' program. The Curzon Gate square became heated due to the clash of leftist leaders and activists with the police. The Vishwabangla logo was removed, and barricades were demolished. Later, the police started the lathi charge on the procession of CPI(M) workers-supporters near Curzon Gate before detaining them.

From the spot, CPI(M) state secretary Md Salim complained, “The police did not follow any protocol. We told the police that people get angry when they see you. They also provoked us and then began attacking us with lathis. This government doesn't understand the people’s mood.”