Amid Bengal bandh, a video of an elderly man dressed in saffron braving water cannons of the Kolkata Police has gone viral on social media and vaulted him as a hero of the protests against the state government. The 83-year-old is seen waving the Tricolour, undeterred by the attempt by the cops to disperse the agitating crowd protesting against the rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee postgraduate doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital earlier this month.
The post is from ‘Nabanna Abhijan’ protest rally organised by the Paschim Banga Chatra Samaj' and other organisations on Tuesday, demanding justice for the Kolkata rape-murder victim. The caption to the viral video posted on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) states, “An 83-year-old Hindu Monk is facing the water cannon of Mamata Police without moving back an inch with courage in his heart, and the Indian national flag in his hands. He is seeking Justice for RG Kar victim.”
In the video, widely shared by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and activists, the man takes centre stage and can be seen waving the national flag in his right hand amid a massive crowd.
BJP leader Locket Chatterjee, reacting to the video, in a post on X stated, “End anarchy, end fascism. We all demand the end of TMC's tyranny." Alleging Mamata Banerjee led state government of oppressing the agitation, the BJP leader tweeted, "With the Tiranga in hand amid blasting water cannons, this man is defining his steadfast determination to against the oppression of @MamataOfficial. I stand by him, the people of the state stand by him and the entire country is standing by him."
The 12-hour Bengal bandh called by the BJP began at 6 am today to protest against the Kolkata Police's use of force to disperse the agitating crowds at the ‘Nabanna Abhijan’ rally. The authorities clamped down on the demonstrators, who broke police barricades and clashed with cops. The situation turned chaotic and the police used water cannons to disperse protestors at Santragachi in Howrah.
BJP IT cell head, Amit Malviya, also shared the video and stated, “The man, waving a national flag, on the iconic Howrah bridge, amidst blazing water cannon, is the ultimate symbol of defiance against an oppressive Mamata Banerjee regime.”
