Protests against citizenship law continue in Bengal, road, rail blockade at several places

Kolkata, December 14

Road and rail blockades continued in different parts of West Bengal on Saturday by people protesting against the amended Citizenship Act.

Incidents of violence were reported from Murshidabad and North 24 Paraganas districts, and rural Howrah, police said.

The National Highway 34, one of the arterial roads that connect north and south Bengal, was blocked in Murshidabad. Several other roads in the district were also blocked, they said.

In Howarh district’s Domjur area, the National Highway 6 was blocked as protester set tyers ablazed and ransacked several vehicles, the police said.

Huge police contingent has been rushed to the spot to control the situation, they said.

Train movements were also blocked in the Sealdah- Hasnabad section of the Eastern Railway.

The agitators are staging sit-ins on the tracks at Shondaliya and Kakra Mirzapur stations of the section since 6.25 am, a railway spokesperson said.

Protests over the amended Citizenship Act reached the shores of West Bengal on Friday, with agitators resorting to violence and arson at railway stations and thoroughfares across the state, seeking immediate revocation of the law. 

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday warned of strict action against people indulging in violence and appealed for calm.

“Don’t take the law in your hands. Don’t put up road blockades and rail blockades and create trouble for the common people on the road,” Banerjee said in a statement released from the chief minister’s office.

“Don’t cause damage to government properties. Strict action will be taken against those found guilty of creating disturbances,” the statement quoted her as saying.

She also reiterated that the amended Citizenship Act and the proposed country-wide NRC will not take effect in the state.

“It is my request, don’t create confusion among people,” she said. 

— PTI