Now Reading: Posters urging buying from Hindu shops spark row in Siliguri
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Posters urging buying from Hindu shops spark row in Siliguri
Posters urging people to buy goods, meat and biryani from Hindu-owned shops appeared across Siliguri on 11 October, triggering a political row. The Hindu Jagran Manch put up the Bengali posters ahead of Durga Puja, calling it an appeal to the Hindu community. Former CPI(M) minister Asok Bhattacharya demanded police action, calling the campaign a crime in a secular nation.
Union minister Sukanta Majumdar said the Manch is an independent organisation and his party was not involved. Trinamool spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said taste cannot be bound by religious boundaries. The Manch member Abhishek Das said patronising Hindu businesses will improve the local economy. In a separate incident, a biryani shop near Kolkata removed banners featuring Goddess Durga's image after BJP workers protested.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Hindustan Times leads with the Siliguri posters as the primary political row, while Times of India frames it as one of three incidents mixing food and festivity, including a separate Durga-image controversy near Kolkata. Both outlets report the Manch's claim that the posters are an appeal, not a diktat. Times of India adds more opposition voices, including Kunal Ghosh and Ashok Bhattacharya, giving the story a sharper political edge. Hindustan Times notes the Manch's 2025 protest, adding past context. Neither outlet takes a side, but Times of India's broader canvas makes the Siliguri incident part of a larger pattern of right-wing activism. The next flashpoint is the coming Durga Puja festival.
Coverage: 2 sources, 2 neutral
Sources (2): hindustantimes.com (neutral report), timesofindia.indiatimes.com (neutral report)
This brief was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above, so one read covers every framing they carry. Methodology and corrections.
