The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and several educational organisations affiliated with the Sangh Parivar are set to hold back-to-back processions in Kolkata on Monday and Tuesday, 26 July, protesting what they describe as deliberate attempts to create 'anarchy' under the cover of student demonstrations. The twin mobilisations will converge at Esplanade in central Kolkata, making the area the focal point of political street activity for two consecutive days.

BJP Takes to the Streets on Monday

The BJP's procession on Monday is being organised by the North Kolkata district BJP, with workers and supporters assembling at the Sealdah station premises at 3 pm before marching to Esplanade. North Kolkata district BJP president Tamoghna Ghosh said, 'We are taking to the streets against attempts to create anarchy and chaos. Any peaceful movement can continue in a democratic country. But we will not accept the way anarchy has been created in Kolkata in the name of student movement. We will not allow the slogan of Azadi to continue.'

Sangh Parivar Outfits Join on Tuesday

On Tuesday, organisations including Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), Akhil Bharatiya Rashtriya Shaikshik Mahasangh (ABRSM), Bharatiya Shikshan Mandal (BSM), Vidya Bharati, Shiksha Sanskriti Utthan Nyas, and Itihas Sankalan Samiti — marching under the common banner 'Shiksha Sanskriti Suraksha Manch' — will stage a double procession from Howrah and Sealdah stations, beginning at 1 pm. Both columns will converge and conclude at Dorina Crossing in Esplanade, where a public meeting is scheduled. These organisations have reportedly been mobilising at the district level since Friday.

ABRSM state leader Bapi Pramanik said, 'We have and will continue to have full sympathy for the student movement or the concerns of the students. But the way that anti-national slogans have been raised using that movement as a tool, the way that extreme subculture has been displayed, the way that the limits of decency in language have been crossed, is not the culture of our country.'

What Triggered the Protests

The immediate trigger was a procession on Friday organised by the Students' Federation of India (SFI) and various Left-affiliated student groups, held in protest over the NEET question paper leak scandal and demanding the resignation of then Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The march ran from Sealdah to Esplanade, but descended into disorder upon arrival, with visuals showing bottles and footwear being hurled at police personnel. Officers responded with baton charges. Several journalists on duty were harassed, with specific allegations of female journalists being targeted.

Arrests and Government Response

On Friday evening, the Chief Minister visited SSKM Hospital to meet injured journalists and photojournalists, assuring legal action against those responsible for the attacks on the media. Acting on that assurance, police have since made 14 arrests in connection with the violence and journalist harassment. According to Kolkata Police sources, further arrests are expected. The BJP, according to party sources, intends its street mobilisation to serve as a parallel political signal — reinforcing pressure on those accused of instigating the unrest, regardless of administrative action.

What to Watch Next

With processions planned across two consecutive days and police already on heightened alert following Friday's violence, authorities in Kolkata face the challenge of managing multiple large gatherings simultaneously. The convergence of BJP workers and Sangh-affiliated education bodies at the same landmark — Esplanade — raises the stakes for law enforcement. Whether Tuesday's Sangh Parivar march remains peaceful will likely shape the political narrative around the NEET protest fallout in West Bengal in the days ahead.