West Bengal’s leader of opposition Suvendu Adhikari, garlanded three men arrested for assaulting a Muslim Vendor for selling chicken patties during a Gita Path event that unfolded in Kolkata. The picture of the event with the opposition leader and three men held for the assault has been making rounds on the internet.
The Assault
The incident of the assault occurred on December 7, earlier this year, at the Brigade Parade ground, where the vendor, Sheikh Riajul, was beaten and forced to do sit ups holding ears, and compelled to discard his food after revealing his name.
Police arrested Soumik Golder (23), Swarnendu Chakraborty (32), and Tarun Bhattacharya (51) on charges including voluntarily causing hurt and outraging religious feelings
“We have arrested three persons on Thursday. They have been booked under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) including 299 (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings),” said a senior officer of the Maidan police station.
“I have been selling veg and chicken patties in Kolkata for over 20 years. Something like this never happened to me. I was selling patties on Sunday. Suddenly, eight to ten people came and asked what I was selling. I said veg and chicken patties. Then they threw the patties to the ground and kept beating me. I lost stocks worth Rs 3,000,” Sheikh Riyazul said and the NDTV reported.
“We all recite the Bhagavad Gita at home. So what’s the need of organising a public meeting to recite the Bhagavad Gita? All of them (accused) have been arrested. This is West Bengal, not Uttar Pradesh. They beat up patties sellers. We arrested everyone last night.” Chief Minister Mamta Banarjee said.
“Many people were seen wearing leather shoes and clicking selfies at the Gita recital. Do these acts maintain the purity of the event? If you don’t want to eat, don’t, but why will you beat him up? They should answer,” Kunal Ghosh, senior leader and spokesperson for the ruling Trinamool Congress,
“Will she be able to tell this to the Muslims when they gather on the Red Road in Kolkata during Eid? Even Eid is celebrated and namaz is offered in masjids and every home? First let her raise the same question against Muslims. Then she can claim that she is secular and doesn’t engage in communal politics?” BJP leader Rahul Sinha said,
