BJP pulls out Tiranga Yatra in Bengal against violence at NEET paper leak protests

BJP supporters take part in ‘Tiranga Yatra’ from Sealdah to Esplanade to protest against violence during NEET protest in the city, Kolkata, Monday, July 27, 2026. | Photo credit: PTI

Calcutta

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday (July 27) organized two Tiranga Yatras in West Bengal against violence at the NEET paper leak protests and called for action against “troublemakers”.

Protesters were seen holding the Indian national flag and raising slogans of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai”. Several BJP MLAs and ministers were also seen on the roads leading these marches, including Tapas Ray, Vijay Ojha, Santosh Pathak, Priyanka Tibrewal and others.

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

People at the Tringa Yatra rallies also carried placards reading “India/Trianga biradhira sabdhan, deshbirodhi sloganist der kono khoma nai” (Beware anti-India/tricolor people, there is no mercy for anti-national slogans). The posters also featured pictures of cockroaches that had eaten lizards, with the words: “Beware of cockroaches in disguise”.

Some posters also said, “I stand with Modi”, “Cockroach gang churno kori, desh gori” (We will crush the cockroach gang and build a nation). The posters also claimed that “cockroaches” were receiving funds from abroad and the CJP movement was an attempt to divide India.

The marches did not carry any BJP flags but several top BJP leaders led them.

“This march is against the anti-national forces in India. Is there any political party in India during which the documents have not been leaked? Let it be the Trinamool Congress,” Minister Tapas Ray said at one of the marches in Tiranga.

One of the Tiranga marches started from Sealdah station in Kolkata and ended at Dorina crossing following exactly the 3 km long route taken by the Cockroach Janta Party protesters on July 24 when they protested against the NEET paper leak. The second march was from Golpark area to Jadavpur.

The CJP protest turned violent last week after protesters clashed with police at the Dorina crossing as the situation escalated. Kolkata Police arrested at least 16 people in connection with this violence.

On Monday, a group of journalists in Kolkata also held a protest rally against the violence they faced during the CJP’s protest from the city’s press club on Friday. They formed a human chain and called for an end to violence against journalists to ensure press freedom. According to police reports, at least six FIRs have been registered in connection with the attack on media personnel last Friday.

Published – 28 Jul 2026 07:51 IST