Saurabh Mukherjee
A fresh political storm has broken out in West Bengal after a video surfaced showing a street vendor being assaulted near a “Gita Path” programme at Kolkata’s Brigade Parade Ground.
The viral clip, recorded during an event hosted by the Sanatan Sanskriti Sangsad on Monday, has sparked intense reactions across the political spectrum, CPI(M) sharply criticising the alleged attackers and blaming the BJP for fostering a climate of intolerance.
The vendor, Sheikh Riyazul of Arambag, who has been selling vegetarian and non-vegetarian patties for over two decades, described a traumatic ordeal after he was allegedly confronted by a group of men.
“They asked me my name. As soon as I told them, they started thrashing me. They also made me do squats and threw my food. I have been selling patties for the last 22 years,” Riyazul said.
The video shows several men, some wearing tilaks, surrounding the vendor, pulling his ears, beating him and overturning his box of patties.
The footage has fuelled a heated political exchange, with TMC leaders accusing the BJP and affiliated groups of attempting to police food choices and bring “mob lynching culture” into Bengal.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] has lodged a formal complaint at the Maidan police station.
Advocate Sayan Bandopadhyay of the CPI(M) said, “Whether the patties was veg or non-veg is a different question, but the way he was thrashed, the police have a provision to register a suo motu case. The way a section of people is trying to impose Uttar Pradesh’s mob lynching culture in Bengal is threatening. We have submitted a complaint, let’s see what happens.”
The TMC has also released an animated video accusing the BJP of being hostile to Bengal’s traditional food culture, suggesting a BJP-led government would impose restrictions on fish and meat.
TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh condemned the attack, saying, “Don’t buy if you don’t eat non-vegetarian food. But why beat up the seller? This is their livelihood. I condemn this incident.”
He added, “I saw many people wearing leather shoes and taking pictures holding the Gita at the brigade event. Why weren’t any action taken against them?”
The BJP, however, pushed back against the criticism. Party leader Debjit Sarkar argued that selling non-vegetarian items near a Gita Path event was inappropriate.
“Can Gita Path be done after eating chicken patties? During Gita Path, if a man is entering with chicken patties, it shows how reluctant they are,” Sarkar said.
The viral clip, recorded during an event hosted by the Sanatan Sanskriti Sangsad on Monday, has sparked intense reactions across the political spectrum, CPI(M) sharply criticising the alleged attackers and blaming the BJP for fostering a climate of intolerance.
The vendor, Sheikh Riyazul of Arambag, who has been selling vegetarian and non-vegetarian patties for over two decades, described a traumatic ordeal after he was allegedly confronted by a group of men.
“They asked me my name. As soon as I told them, they started thrashing me. They also made me do squats and threw my food. I have been selling patties for the last 22 years,” Riyazul said.
The video shows several men, some wearing tilaks, surrounding the vendor, pulling his ears, beating him and overturning his box of patties.
The footage has fuelled a heated political exchange, with TMC leaders accusing the BJP and affiliated groups of attempting to police food choices and bring “mob lynching culture” into Bengal.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] has lodged a formal complaint at the Maidan police station.
Advocate Sayan Bandopadhyay of the CPI(M) said, “Whether the patties was veg or non-veg is a different question, but the way he was thrashed, the police have a provision to register a suo motu case. The way a section of people is trying to impose Uttar Pradesh’s mob lynching culture in Bengal is threatening. We have submitted a complaint, let’s see what happens.”
The TMC has also released an animated video accusing the BJP of being hostile to Bengal’s traditional food culture, suggesting a BJP-led government would impose restrictions on fish and meat.
TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh condemned the attack, saying, “Don’t buy if you don’t eat non-vegetarian food. But why beat up the seller? This is their livelihood. I condemn this incident.”
He added, “I saw many people wearing leather shoes and taking pictures holding the Gita at the brigade event. Why weren’t any action taken against them?”
The BJP, however, pushed back against the criticism. Party leader Debjit Sarkar argued that selling non-vegetarian items near a Gita Path event was inappropriate.
“Can Gita Path be done after eating chicken patties? During Gita Path, if a man is entering with chicken patties, it shows how reluctant they are,” Sarkar said.
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