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An anti-war rally in Kolkata, calling for peace and de-escalation between India and Pakistan, was allegedly disrupted by BJP supporters on Monday. Organised by Left-leaning student groups, intellectuals, and civil society members, the rally was held amid growing military tensions between the two countries.

The demonstrators had assembled at Moulali in central Kolkata and planned to march toward Esplanade. However, a group of BJP leaders and supporters, led by party leader Sajal Ghosh, arrived waving the national flag.

They accused the protesters of being “traitors,” and allegedly hurled black ink at them, intensifying tensions. Ghosh, speaking to the media, claimed, “We won’t let this march happen. These people love Pakistan and oppose India’s interests.”

In response, anti-war protesters accused the BJP of contradicting its own central government, which had recently agreed to a ceasefire. They also accused the BJP and RSS of working on behalf of international arms dealers.

“The BJP and RSS are working for arms sellers who want the war because they have to sell their products. As a result, innocent people on both sides of the border are losing their lives. We want the war to stop immediately,” one of the anti-war protesters said.

Protesters condemned war-mongering and the surge in war rhetoric that followed last month’s deadly attack on Hindu tourists in Kashmir. They argued that such discourse not only risks prolonged conflict but also deepens communal polarisation and undermines social harmony.

However, the BJP workers did not buy the argument and accused them of sympathising with terrorists. Ghosh questioned their silence after the attack on Hindu tourists. “But now, as India responds, they suddenly remember peace over war,” he said, while his partymen allegedly confronted the anti-war activists.

The police deployed in the area, meanwhile, acted swiftly and took hold of the law-and-order situation before it could escalate. The police first detained the BJP leaders and workers. Later, due to the rising tension, the anti-war rally participants were also detained.