BJP Leads ‘Tiranga Yatra’ in Bengal, Condemns Violence During NEET Protest

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday held two ‘Tiranga Yatras’ in West Bengal to protest the violence that erupted during recent demonstrations against the NEET paper leak. Party leaders and supporters carried the Indian national flag and raised slogans such as ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’.

Senior BJP leader and minister Agnimitra Paul said, “We respect the concerns of our students, but if anti-national elements try to push their agenda and attempt to destabilise the country by misleading our students, we will not allow that to happen… Action will be taken against those who damage government property and attack the media; they will not be spared.”

The rallies featured posters with messages in Bengali warning against “anti-national sloganists” and depicting cockroaches being eaten by lizards, with text reading: “Beware of disguised cockroaches.” Some posters read “I stand with Modi” and “We will crush the cockroach gang and build the nation.” The posters also alleged foreign funding for the “Cockroach Janta Party” (CJP) movement, calling it an attempt to divide India.

Notably, the marches did not display BJP flags but were led by several top BJP leaders, including ministers Tapas Ray, Vijay Ojha, Santosh Pathak, and Priyanka Tibrewal. One march traced the exact 3-km route from Sealdah Station to Dorina Crossing that CJP protesters used on July 24, when the NEET paper leak protest turned violent. Another march started from Golpark and ended at Jadavpur.

The earlier CJP protest on July 24 saw clashes with police at Dorina Crossing, resulting in at least 16 arrests by Kolkata Police. Separately, on Monday, a group of journalists in Kolkata held a protest rally against the violence they faced during that demonstration. They formed a human chain outside the city’s Press Club, demanding an end to attacks on media personnel. Police have registered at least six first information reports (FIRs) in connection with the assault on journalists.