THOUSANDS of people joined in massive protest demonstrations at district headquarters in West Bengal on September 11, at the call of the Left Front. The protest took a militant turn and the protestors battled with police in many districts. The demands of the protest included remunerative price for the peasants, digital ration cards for all, equal pay for equal work, opening of closed factories etc. Restoration of democracy, end to boundless corruption in panchayats and municipalities, defence of unity of the people were issues that reverberated in these rallies.

In Barasat, district head quarter of North 24 Parganas, thousands of Left activists broke the police barricade and advanced towards the office of district magistrate. Police fired rubber bullets, tear gas, charged batons to disperse the crowd. But what was most ugly, the police threw bombs to disperse the masses. Left activists however carried on the street fight and pitched battles lasted for hours. Many Left activists were injured. CPI(M) state committee member and CITU leader Gargi Chatterjee suffered bomb injuries and had to be hospitalised. SFI activist Badri Bishal Ghosh also suffered from bomb attack and has been hospitalised. Hundreds others suffered various kinds of injuries. The enraged activists blocked the railway line.

In Bankura, police started lathi charge without provocation. A huge police contingent chased Left activists after tear gas shells were fired. Many including DYFI all India general secretary Avoy Mukherjee were injured. Mukherjee suffered head injury.

In Tamluk, in East Midnapore, police mercilessly beat Left activists. Despite this, the activists marched forward and continued with the programme. CPI(M) state committee member Rabin Deb , CPI(M) district secretary Niranjan Sihi suffered injuries. Sihi was arrested too.

Thousands of people gathered in rallies in other districts. Huge rallies took place in Burdwan, Chuchura in Hooghly,  Krishnanagar in Nadia, Siuri in Birbhum, Midnapore town, IN Baruipur and Alipore in South 24 Parganas, in Howrah and Uluberia in Howrah district, in Maldaha, Baluyrghat in South Dinajpore.

False cases were imposed on many Left activists and many of them were picked up by police from their homes.

On September 13, Left parties organised march to police headquarters in Kolkata. Thousands marched from Subodh Mullick square towards Lal bazar. Police erected barricades on the way. Left leaders avoided confrontation but warned that these methods would not work anymore. Addressing the gathering, CPI(M) state secretary Surjyakanta Misra said, we have placed charter of demands so far. After the coming festive season in Bengal, the struggle for achieving those demands will start. Marches will be organised from every booth  in the state. Left Front chairman Biman Basu said, local level struggles to achieve the demands will intensify.