Kolkata: Though the organisers tried their best to stay clear of trouble at the 44th Kolkata International Book Fair, dissent and diversity at the Book Fair premises made way for tension even on the last day of notably the world's largest Book Fair in terms of footfall.
On Saturday a group of students were protesting against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC), at Vishwa Hindu Parishad's 'Janabarta' stall, when BJP workers obstructed the protest and a scuffle took place.
When police intervened several police officials were reportedly manhandled. However, police dismissed the claim of cops getting manhandled at the fair. All this happened after BJP national secretary Rahul Sinha reached the fair around 3.30 pm on Saturday.
After the incident police detained some of the agitating students and took them to the control room at the Book Fair, the rest of the agitators reached there and demanded the release of their allies.
Meanwhile, the police made attempts to take the detained students to Bidhanngar North police station. Some students also claimed that BJP workers had molested some women. Furthermore, the police even refused to clarify to the media whether any case has been initiated in connection with police personnel getting beaten up in the incident.
Meanwhile, when the other protestors went to Bidhannagar North police station, amidst the pandemonium, allegedly, a woman police constable was beaten up by the students. Consequently, police had detained 34 students who were later released. However, a molestation complaint was lodged by one of the protesting student.
On Sunday evening when Joint Commissioner of Police (Jt CP), Headquarters, Ranendranath Banerjee was asked about it, he said, "It is not possible to comment on it now."
On Sunday, a few human rights organisations and students took out a rally inside the fair. The rally started from the little magazine section and concluded on the same spot after a round of the fair protesting against NRC, CAA and police inactiveness. However, until the end of the Book Fair on the last day, no major incident took place.