BJP, TMC brace for showdown over September 26 bandh in West Bengal, PIL filed in HC

KOLKATA: The BJP has called a 12-hour bandh in West Bengal on September 26 to protest over the Islampur school violence in which two students were killed in clashes with police recently.

The incident took place in North Dinajpur district's Islampur.

Meanwhile, the 12-hour bandh called by the BJP in West Bengal has been challenged in the Calcutta High Court. 

According to ANI, a PIL has been filed on behalf of the All India Minority Forum seeking direction to the BJP to withdraw its West Bengal bandh call on Wednesday.

The PIL has been filed by Trinamool Congress MP Idris Ali, who is also a practising lawyer.

#WestBengal: TMC MP Idris Ali has filed a PIL in Calcutta High Court on behalf of All India Minority Forum against the 12-hour Bengal Bandh called by BJP on Sept 26. (File pic) pic.twitter.com/XYnljbuitL — ANI (@ANI) September 24, 2018

Ali prayed before a division bench presided by Chief Justice J Bhattacharya for an injunction restraining the BJP from giving effect to the bandh call.

Moving the PIL, Ali urged for an urgent hearing of the matter since the bandh is to be held on Wednesday and submitted that citizens cannot be prevented from attending to their vocation forcibly.

The division bench, also comprising Justice Arijit Banerjee, said that the matter would be listed for hearing on Tuesday.

Submitting for petitioner All India Minority Forum general secretary MA Ali, Idris Ali said the Kerala High Court had held that bandhs are illegal and unconstitutional and that this order was upheld by the Supreme Court.

Trouble had brewed at Daribhit High School in Islampur over the recruitment of Urdu teachers as the protesting students said they needed Science and English teachers instead.

The students and the locals had stopped two newly-recruited teachers from entering the school on Thursday, demanding that all vacant teaching posts be filled, resulting in a clash.

The BJP alleged that ITI student Rajesh Sarkar and third-year college student Tapas Barman were killed in police firing while the police denied the claim.

District Superintendent of Police Sumit Kumar has maintained that police did not resort to firing during the incident. 

Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is in Milan, Italy, had said that under no circumstances the bandh will be observed. 

“Now, I’m hearing that some people have called a bandh. We will not allow anyone to observe bandh. Anyone who tries to impose the bandh forcibly, will have action taken against them,” said Banerjee.