Protesters Try to Breach Barricade Outside Bangladesh Mission in Kolkata

The Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata, West Bengal, witnessed tension on Saturday morning over several recent issues concerning Bangladesh. A protest was organised to besiege the mission, leading to clashes between police and protesters.
The protest was called by the Vivekananda Mission Seva Pratishthan, demanding security for Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh and the release of Chinmoy Krishna Das. India’s newly formed political party, the National Citizen Party of India (NCPI), also joined the protest in support.
A large procession set out from the Sealdah railway station area on Saturday morning under the banners of the two organisations. More than 100 monks and nuns from the Vivekananda Mission Seva Pratishthan and around 60 NCPI leaders, activists and supporters took part.
As the procession moved towards the Bangladesh mission, Kolkata Police stepped up security along the route.
Police stopped the procession about 300 yards from the mission with strong barricades. Protesters then tried to break through the barricades and move forward, leading to a scuffle with police.
As the situation escalated, traffic on roads near the Deputy High Commission was temporarily stopped for security reasons.
The protesters could not reach the mission directly due to the police presence. Later, with permission from the mission, a five-member delegation was allowed to enter the premises. The delegation submitted a memorandum outlining their demands to Bangladeshi officials.
The protesters continued demonstrating outside the mission for some time after submitting the memorandum before leaving the area.
Recently, several former lawmakers of West Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress left the party and formed the NCPI. The party is currently allied with the BJP. The participation of some NCPI members, along with a religious organisation, in the joint protest led to heightened tension around the mission premises.