West Bengal invokes Goonda Act after Kolkata NEET protest; 10 of 11 arrested are Muslim

The West Bengal government said on Saturday it had invoked the West Bengal Public Safety and Control of Anti-Social Activities Act, 2026, against people accused of involvement in violence during a protest in Kolkata over alleged shortcomings in the education sector under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, including the NEET-UG examination paper leak.

Addressing the state assembly, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said authorities had identified around 70 people who participated in Friday’s demonstration at Dharmatala and alleged they were not genuine student protesters.

“They are neither students nor members of the organisation that announced the protest. They came only to create unrest,” Adhikari said.

The legislation, commonly referred to as the Goonda Act, is being used for the first time since it came into force. It permits preventive detention of individuals designated as “anti-social” for up to one year. The law’s constitutional validity is currently being challenged before the Calcutta High Court.

Adhikari said police had registered seven first information reports (FIRs) in connection with the clashes and arrested 11 people from Kolkata and nearby areas, including 10 Muslims. Police said one of those arrested, Md Afroz, a resident of Metiabruz, was detained in Andal, while the remaining suspects were arrested separately.

The chief minister condemned alleged assaults on journalists covering the protest and said authorities had invoked the law to ensure strict action against those responsible.

“I condemn the attack on journalists on behalf of the entire House. Violence against the media cannot be accepted,” he said, adding that the legislation would be used to impose severe penalties on those involved.

According to Adhikari, demonstrators threw shoes and water bottles at police officers and journalists after the procession reached the Esplanade area. He alleged that some protesters sought to provoke police into using force, including baton charges and tear gas, but said officers exercised restraint.

The march, organised by Left-affiliated student organisations with support from the Kolkata unit of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), began at Sealdah and moved toward Dorina Crossing under heavy police deployment. Police alleged that some participants threw slippers, sticks and other objects at security personnel and attacked journalists during the rally.

Students’ Federation of India (SFI) state secretary Debanjan Dey condemned the reported attacks on journalists but accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of deploying “agent provocateurs” to disrupt the demonstration and damage the protest’s credibility.

Dey also alleged that Kolkata Police used tear gas and batons against protesters, saying several members of Left student and youth organisations were injured and were receiving treatment at Calcutta Medical College and Hospital.

He further alleged that video footage showed BJP supporters throwing stones from a fire brigade vehicle and from the Moulali Yuva Kendra, where he said a BJP meeting was taking place.

“When students occupied Dorina Crossing, these agent provocateurs began throwing stones, shoes, sticks and bottles, harassed women students and assaulted journalists,” Dey said, calling for an investigation to identify those responsible.

The West Bengal Public Safety and Control of Anti-Social Activities Act, 2026, authorises preventive detention without trial for up to one year, allows authorities to issue externment orders requiring suspected offenders to leave specified districts, and provides for the attachment of property allegedly linked to unlawful activities.

Opposition parties and civil rights organisations have criticised the legislation, arguing that its broad preventive detention provisions could be misused for political purposes and to curb dissent. The law remains under judicial review before the Calcutta High Court.

Responding to reports of the arrests, Ratna Singh, spokesperson for the Cockroach Janta Party, said the party had received information that police in West Bengal and Assam had detained protesters. She added that reports indicating many of those detained were Muslims, if confirmed, would raise serious concerns about unlawful religious profiling.