A political controversy has erupted in West Bengal following the viral spread of a video that allegedly shows a street vendor being assaulted for selling non-vegetarian patties near the venue of a “Gita Path” event at Brigade Parade Ground. This incident, which occurred during an event organized by the Sanatan Sanskriti Sangsad on Monday, has ignited a fierce political dispute, with the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) condemning the attackers and targeting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The vendor, identified as Sheikh Riyazul, a resident of Arambag with 23 years of experience selling both vegetarian and non-vegetarian patties, described his ordeal. “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,” he recounted. The footage from the incident depicts a group of individuals, some adorned with tilaks on their foreheads, surrounding and violently attacking him while destructively emptying his tin box of patties.
This violent confrontation has sparked a volatile political debate, with the TMC and other opposition parties accusing the BJP and its affiliates of fostering a “mob lynching culture” and attempting to dictate the dietary preferences of Bengalis. TMC’s state general secretary and spokesperson, Kunal Ghosh, stated, “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 also criticized the hypocrisy of event attendees noted for wearing leather shoes while holding religious texts, questioning why they faced no repercussions.
TMC spokesperson Arup Chakraborty classified the attack as an assault on Bengali culture and food traditions. “The aggressive Hindutva heroes of the BJP-RSS attacked him. They call themselves heroes. What kind of heroes are they? Someone who beats up a poor street vendor, makes him hold his ears and squat, smashes his cart, destroys all his belongings, to prove their valor,” he asserted. He argued that the violence reflected a broader ideological mentality from the BJP that seeks to impose a singular cultural narrative.
In reaction to the incident, the TMC has launched an animated video criticizing the BJP, positing that a BJP-led government would impose restrictions on the sale and consumption of fish and meat, thereby threatening West Bengal’s cherished food culture. The CPI-M has also taken action by filing a formal complaint at the Maidan police station regarding the assault. Advocate Sayan Bandopadhyay of the CPI-M underscored the legal implications, noting that irrespective of the patties’ ingredients, the assault necessitates police action, especially given the alarming trend of introducing mob lynching culture in Bengal.
BJP leader Debjit Sarkar weighed in on the event, questioning the suitability of selling non-vegetarian food in proximity to a religious assembly. “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,” he argued, framing the vendor’s actions as disrespectful to the occasion.
Original Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/kolkata/row-erupts-in-bengal-after-video-of-non-veg-patty-vendors-assault-near-gita-event-goes-viral-10412138/
Category: Cities,Kolkata
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Publish Date: 2025-12-10 06:39:00
