Archive · 3 Oct 2026
Clash Disrupts SFI Meeting as Parties Trade Blame in Birati
SFI, a student group backed by the CPI(M), held a meeting in Birati on Friday evening.
It was part of protests asking for election official Gyanesh Kumar to be removed.
The protests also raised other concerns about voter lists and election rules.
A fight broke out, and the stage and banner were damaged.
People were injured, and the meeting was stopped.
SFI and CPI(M) representatives said BJP supporters attacked them.
BJP representatives denied that their supporters were involved and blamed the meeting’s words and slogans.
Police said two people were detained.
BJP representatives gave different accounts of how many of their supporters were hurt.
A clash disrupted an SFI ‘Save Democracy’ meeting at Banik More in Birati on Friday evening.
The meeting called for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s removal and was part of wider Left protests over election-related issues.
The stage and banner were damaged, chairs were thrown, and the meeting was called off after people were injured.
CPI(M) and SFI representatives accused BJP-backed supporters of attacking them; BJP representatives denied involvement and blamed the meeting’s conduct.
Police said two people were detained; BJP representatives gave differing injury figures, reporting three or six injured BJP workers.
- Who
- Supporters of the CPI(M)-backed SFI and the BJP’s youth wing, BJYM, were involved in the clash; police detained two people.
- What
- A clash disrupted an SFI meeting calling for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s removal.
- When
- Friday evening; the meeting began around 6 pm.
- Where
- Banik More in Birati, North 24 Parganas district, on the outskirts of Kolkata.
- Why
- The meeting was part of Left protests over Gyanesh Kumar’s removal and other election-related demands; the sides disputed who caused the clash.
CPI(M)/SFI account
BJP account
Who caused the clash
CPI(M)/SFI account
CPI(M) and SFI representatives alleged BJP-backed supporters attacked workers and vandalised the venue.
BJP account
BJP representatives denied their supporters were involved; BJP leader Debashis Chowdhury blamed the meeting’s abuse and slogans for angering local people.
Police response
CPI(M)/SFI account
CPM functionary Dipsita Dhar alleged police watched the vandalism and asked the CPM to stop its programme.
BJP account
The articles provide no direct BJP response to Dhar’s allegation.
Injuries to BJP supporters
CPI(M)/SFI account
The articles report injuries among people at the meeting but give no SFI/CPI(M) figure for injured BJP supporters.
BJP account
Local BJP MLA Sourav Sikdar said three BJYM supporters were injured; BJP leader Debashis Chowdhury said six BJP workers were injured.
- Meeting
- SFI ‘Save Democracy’ meeting
- Location
- Banik More, Birati, North 24 Parganas district
- Start time
- Around 6 pm on Friday
- Main demand
- Removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar
- Other protest demands
- Halt the SIR process, restore names of genuine voters allegedly deleted, and repeal the 2023 law governing election commissioners’ appointments
- Police action
- Police said two people were detained
- Injuries
- Injuries were reported; BJP representatives gave differing figures of three and six BJP workers hurt
