Kolkata, Sep 22 (IANS) The BJP on Saturday called for a 12-hour shutdown in West Bengal on September 26 to protest against the alleged killing of two youths in a clash between the agitating students and police in West Bengal's North Dinajpur district.
One of the youths, Rajesh Sarkar, was allegedly shot dead in a clash outside Daribhit High School premises in North Dinajpur district's Islampur on Thursday, centring the recruitment of three new teachers in the institution against the wish of the students.
The other youth, Tapas Barman, who also sustained a bullet injury in the incident, died in the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital on Friday.
Both the deceased were former students of the school where the clash took place.
Accusing the state government and its police of showing "barbaric attitude towards students", the state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership called for a 12-hour shutdown across Bengal and also demanded a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the killings.
"This government and its police force have created an unforeseen example of barbarism towards the student. We have decided to call a 12-hour shutdown in the state against the killing of two students in police firing in North Dinajpur's Islampur area," state BJP leader Pratap Banerjee told reporters here.
"We had earlier announced a march to state secretariat Nabanna on September 26. But we have decided to cancel it and have called for a shutdown on that day to protest against the murder of students as well as the widespread attacks and police atrocities on the people of the state. We appeal everyone in Bengal to support the shutdown."
The BJP leader further alleged that the Trinamool Congress, which had come to power with the promise of bringing peace, are now resorting to violence and unrest in the state.
"We pledge to continue our movement until all the police officers involved in the incident are suspended and the offenders are punished for their action. We demand CBI probe into the case. The state administration should not try to protect the offenders," he said.
According to the police and the local sources, the situation got heated up last Wednesday over the recruitment of three teachers of Urdu and Sanskrit languages in the school while the students had been demanding teachers in literature and science subjects.
The new teachers were stopped from entering the school by the agitating students on Thursday afternoon, who later blocked the road and clashed with the police when they arrived on the spot.
Villagers claimed that the two youths were killed in police firing, whereas the police maintained no bullets were fired by them and claimed that miscreants armed with guns, bombs and sticks attacked them outside the school.
North Dinajpur SP Sumit Kumar had said members of the mob were carrying bombs and arms, and 14 policemen were injured in the clash.
Seven people, including some BJP supporters, have been detained in connection with the incident so far.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is on a 12-day tour to Europe to attract investment for the state, said the state government will not allow any shutdown to take place and accused the BJP and the Rashtriya Swyamsevak Sangh (RSS) of engineering unrest by murdering people.
"There will be no shutdown. There is no question of it. It is BJP's ploy to divert people's attention from the failures of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party President Amit Shah. They are orchestrating the attacks and killings. They are doing the politics of murder. I warn them not to play with fire," she said in a video message from Milan.
State Education Minister Partha Chatterjee had earlier accused the members of RSS of instigating the violence and said strong actions would be taken against those found guilty.
"We are certain that RSS has played a significant role in the incident. They are bringing people from outside and trying to indulge in the politics of death. Whoever is found involved in violence, whether they are from BJP or RSS, will not be spared," Chatterjee had said.
The BJP had observed a 12-hour shutdown in North Dinajpur district on Friday over the incident.
