Protests and tension erupted outside the Bangladesh mission in Kolkata, West Bengal, India, on Saturday, October 3, as demonstrators demanded the protection of minorities in Bangladesh and the release of Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, spokesperson for Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagran Jote.

The protest was organised by Vivekananda Mission Seva Pratisthan, joined by the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI).

The two organisations took out a procession from Sealdah Railway Station. More than 100 monks and nuns from Vivekananda Mission Seva Pratisthan and around 60 NCPI supporters took part in the procession.

Kolkata Police had deployed security personnel ahead of the march. Police stopped the procession with barricades around 300 yards from the Bangladesh mission.

Some protesters then tried to move the barricades and advance towards the mission, leading to a scuffle with police. Traffic in the area near the mission was also halted for some time as the situation grew tense.

Police later prevented the protesters from reaching the mission. With permission from the Bangladesh mission, five representatives of the protesters were allowed inside to submit a memorandum.

The memorandum called for ensuring the safety of minorities in Bangladesh and the release of Chinmoy Prabhu.

The protesters continued demonstrating outside the mission for some time after submitting the memorandum before eventually leaving the premises.

Some Trinamool Congress lawmakers recently left the party and formed a new political party called NCPI. The party is currently allied with the BJP.

The joint programme by the two organisations once again triggered tension in the area around the Bangladesh mission in Kolkata.

Sun News/ rabbi