AIDWA strongly condemns the police brutality, lathi charge and the use of tear gas and water cannons on the peaceful procession led by several kisan organisations in Kolkata yesterday. AIDWA also strongly condemns the unprecedented assault on the democratic rights of the people of West Bengal under the TMC state government.
The march was on an 18 point charter of demands and was convened by the All India Kisan Sabha, All India Agricultural Workers Union and other peasant organisations. AIDWA supported this struggle, actively campaigned for and mobilised thousands of women in the state for the march. Demonstrators rallied at five points as there were barricades encircling Nabanna, the state administrative headquarters.
The demands included fair prices for crops, minimum support price for jute and wheat, price rise, more jobs in MNREGA, food security for the poor, compensation for families of peasant suicides, action against trafficking of women and children and against continued atrocities against women and other demands.
The march was attacked by the police unprovoked. They resorted to brutal lathi charge and use of pepper mixed tear gas and water cannons. Over 1000 people were seriously injured. Many are now fighting for their lives in the hospitals. Some have lost their eyes.
More than 150 women were severely injured during this inhuman attack. Women were beaten up, pulled by their hair and dragged by the male police force. Even elderly women not spared. Male police personnel also misbehaved with women protesters and used abusive sexist language. Women were dragged out from metro stations and toilets and lathi charged. Video footage shows a single woman being lathi charged by six policemen. More than 80 women were arrested including state secretariat members and CEC members of AIDWA. This attack has been the most brutal one witnessed in recent years. Hundreds of leaders and activists, including women, were arrested. The police did not spare the media too. Journalists were beaten up and their cameras damaged.
AIDWA demands an immediate judicial inquiry into this unprovoked brutal lathi charge by the police force and strict action against the police personnel for assaulting and abusing women protesters. AIDWA will protest against this brutality of this thoroughly authoritarian TMC regime all over the country.
