Police Lathicharge Students in Peaceful Demonstration Infront of the SSC Headquarters
Police Lathicharge Students in Peaceful Demonstration Infront of the SSC Headquarters



21st November 2014

Yesterday, in front of the School Service Commission Headquarters in Salt Lake, the police pounced with their lathis on peacefully protesting students and youth. Even girls were pushed to the ground and beaten up, though no lady constables were present at the scene. The demonstration called by the State Committees of the SFI and DYFI began at 1 pm in front of the Beleghata SAI Complex from where a large rally marched on to Karunamoyee Saltlake and assembled in front of the SSC building. They were protesting the well known scam in the recruitment of primary teachers and demanding the reinstitution of the SSC exams. When they wanted to submit a deputation to the SSC authorities the police started pushing them back. Then without any provocation the police began to lathicharge. Several were injured and taken to the Bidhannagar Hospital. Among them two girls from Hooghly, Tina Kangshabonik and Manami Pal, were in bad shape and had to be transferred to Nilratan Sarkar Medical College.

An FIR has been lodged against the police. This unprovoked attack is a continuation of the governments' intolerance to the voices of the youth. The SFI is not threatened by such tactics and will continue to march forward with its banners and voices raised. A statewide day of protest is being observed by the SFI and DYFI on the 21st in condemnation. The physical attack on girls without lady constables is doubly unacceptable.


In the meantime warrants had been issued for collecting funds to support the Madhyamgram rape victim allegedly without police permission against three student leaders Shatarup Ghosh, Srijeeb Goswami, Mayukh Biswas and, Youth leader Sayandeep Mitra, and four Left leaders, Anadi Sahu, Pratim Ghosh, Debabrata Bindu and Dipak Dasgupta. Today they appeared in court and were released on PR bond. The SFI condemns the use of the law and order mechanism to suppress democratic forces and stands firmly beside the eight leaders.