BJP resorting to cheap drama for publicity: Bengal minister

It was subsequently demolished and a new cable-stayed bridge is being constructed in its place, which is expected to be thrown open to the public early next month. State minister and TMC gecretary General Partha Chatterjee, who led the rally, asked the party members "not to get swayed by any provocation by the BJP".

Countering BJP's agitation over alleged delay in construction of Majerhat bridge, the ruling TMC on Thursday took out a procession, claiming that the saffron party was resorting to "cheap drama" to get publicity. A portion of Majherhat bridge had collapsed on September 4, 2018, killing two persons. It was subsequently demolished and a new cable-stayed bridge is being constructed in its place, which is expected to be thrown open to the public early next month.

State minister and TMC gecretary General Partha Chatterjee, who led the rally, asked the party members "not to get swayed by any provocation by the BJP". "I wonder why no BJP demonstration was held before the railway head office in the city, as the opening of newly made Majherhat bridge depended on approval by the railways," Chatterjee said.

He accused the saffron party of bringing trouble makers from elsewhere to "instigate violence". Chatterjee, along with other party leaders and activists, covered Majherhat, Tararala and parts of New Alipore area on foot during the rally.

Earlier in the day, BJP workers clashed with the police after they were stopped short of the under-construction bridge in the southwestern part of Kolkata, where they had gone to protest the alleged delay in completion of work. BJP activists pelted the law enforcers with stones, following which the police resorted to mild lathi-charge to disperse the crowd, an officer said, adding several members of the saffron party were detained.

BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya later alleged the ruling party was crushing down democratic protests by the opposition..

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)