Congress rally in Kolkata against atrocities on workers, hawker evictions

On Wednesday, August 5, 2026, Congress leaders and supporters organized a protest known as the "Lalbazaar Satyagraha" in Kolkata. The demonstration aimed to voice concerns over alleged mistreatment of party members, the eviction of street vendors, and the aggressive tactics employed by the police. Prominent figures like Subhankar Sarkar, Prakash Joshi, and Suman Roy Chaudhuri joined the march, which began at College Street and culminated at Lalbazaar.

The protesters alleged that their fellow party members were attacked during their journey to a rally held on July 21, commemorating Martyrs' Day. They demanded that the West Bengal government and police take decisive action against those responsible for the violence. Subhankar Sarkar, the State president of the Congress, warned that while they would not engage in physical confrontations with the police, they would resort to sit-ins at any point where their march was obstructed.

He emphasized that the situation had not improved despite a change in government and accused the police of acting in tandem with the Bharatiya Janata Party's objectives. "Every government uses the police to serve its own interests," Mr. Sarkar stated. A section of Congress workers greeted the police with flowers and chocolates during the march.

However, the demonstration was halted by police barriers near the Bentinck Street crossing in central Kolkata. Sharadwat Mukherjee, a minister from the West Bengal Government and a leader of the BJP, countered the Congress's allegations by suggesting that the party had become obsolete and was resorting to unconventional methods to regain relevance.