Leaders of the BJP, Trinamul Congress, CPM and the Congress walked together here on Friday in a rare show of solidarity with the Durgapur School Guardians’ Welfare Society demanding waiver of school fees.
BJP West Burdwan district president Lakshman Ghorui, Trinamul leader and MLA Biswanath Padial, CPM MLA Santosh Deb Roy and Congress leader Debesh Chakraborty, along with activists of the four parties, walked in the silent march to submit a deputation to the subdivisional officer of Durgapur Anirban Koley around 12pm on Friday.
However, none of the leaders, other than those of the CPM and the Congress, were seen interacting with each other. As photographers trained their cameras at the rally, Padial stepped behind the row of leaders to avoid being caught in the same frame with arch rivals.
None of them also agreed to comment on the unusual show the town saw on Friday and said they had extended their support to the guardians as their protest was “justified”.
“We have been supporting the guardians since they began their movement as their demand is justified. It is not a political platform or a political issue. It is a matter of humanity,” said Padial.
He said it didn’t matter to him if other political parties extended their support or walked in the rally.
The CPM and the Congress leaders also held similar views. “We have been with the guardians since the beginning. It will be wrong to drag politics into this. We are part of the movement because we feel the demand of the guardians is genuine,” CPM MLA Deb Roy said.
