Students organize march to BJP state HQ, demand roll back of

Protests by students against the amended Citizenship Act rocked Kolkata on Saturday as thousands of university goers hit the streets and marched towards state BJP headquarters demanding its roll back.

A scuffle broke out between the police and the students when a section of the protesters tried to break through the police barricades and head towards the party office. The situation was, however, quickly brought under control by the police.

The youth Congress activists Saturday afternoon organized a march to Raj Bhavan to protest against the amended Citizenship Act.

Apart from the demonstrations, rallies and counter rallies in protest and in support of the amended Act, the situation in West Bengal was peaceful as no incident of violence was reported in the state.

Students from Jadavpur University, Calcutta University, Aliah University, Presidency University and the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute, organised a march from Shahid Minar Maidan to Mahjati Sadan in central Kolkata, a stone throw distance from State BJP headquarters, during the day.

They carried placards which read 'Scrap NRC, CAA', 'Don't divide people', 'We won't allow fascism to rule in India' and shouted slogans against the saffron camp.

Despite heavy police deployment and large scale security arrangements, a section of protesters managed to break through the barricades near the state BJP headquarters off the arterial Central Avenue and shouted slogans against the saffron camp.

BJP workers came out of the party office with sticks in hand and started shouting slogans.

However, the situation was immediately brought under control by the police.

Later on the protesters organized a sit in demonstration at central avenue.

Reacting to the development, state BJP president Dilip Ghosh, said "If anyone makes the mistake of heading towards our party office, they should bring stretchers with them as they will not be able to walk back and will have to go to the hospital."