Kolkata: Protesters Paint Anandabazar Patrika Office Saffron in Row Over Headline

Protest at Newspaper Office

On Tuesday afternoon, a group of around 25-30 men wearing saffron turbans, scarves, shirts, and kurtas gathered outside the office of the Bengali daily Anandabazar Patrika on Prafulla Sarkar Street in central Kolkata. According to The Times of India, the protesters shouted slogans and smeared saffron paint on two white pillars beside the main gate before leaving about 30 minutes later. in reported that videos widely shared on social media showed several police personnel standing nearby as the men painted the walls and shouted slogans including “Hindustan will not tolerate the insult of saffron.”

The protesters, who did not reveal whom they represented, hung a saffron stole over the main gate and staged a sit-in, according to The Times of India. Some chanted “Bhagwa ka apmaan nahi sahega” (We will not tolerate the insult of Bhagwa), while others shouted: “This land belongs to Syama Prasad Mookerjee. This land belongs to Swami Vivekananda. This land is saffron.” The saffron-clad men were also seen sloganeering in both Hindi and Bengali near the main gate. The Times of India quoted one protester as saying: “We have no objection to Anandabazar Patrika criticising the govt or even the CM. But no one has the right to disrespect the saffron colour. We are holding a peaceful protest in accordance with cop instructions. If they do not correct themselves, there will be a bigger protest later.”

Less than an hour after the protesters left, the newspaper’s management whitewashed the saffron paint from the pillars, restoring them to their original white colour, The Times of India reported. in said the newspaper’s authorities repainted the walls to their original colour a few hours later.

Background: Jadavpur University Clash and Headline

The protest came days after Anandabazar Patrika used the phrase “saffron hooliganism” in a headline about a clash between student groups at Jadavpur University on August 20, as reported by in, citing The Hindu. The clash broke out between members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and Left-affiliated student groups during a general meeting of the Faculty of Engineering and Technology Students’ Union. in reported that the clash continued into the early hours of Thursday, with both sides blaming each other for the violence and accusing the other of bringing outsiders onto campus. Several students were injured and taken to a hospital. The ABVP is the student wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the parent organisation of the BJP, according to in.

Anandabazar Patrika had described the clashes as “gerua gundami”, or saffron hooliganism, in its report, in reported.

Police Response and FIR

A senior Kolkata Police officer said he was not aware whether any complaint had been lodged regarding the painting incident, The Times of India reported. in, citing The Hindu, said the men who painted parts of the building had not been identified and no complaint had been filed.

Separately, Kolkata Police had earlier lodged an FIR at Bowbazar Police Station against two senior journalists of Anandabazar Patrika, including the editor, following a complaint by a person who alleged that the newspaper had used the headline with the intention to hurt Hindu sentiments and disturb public peace, according to The Times of India. in reported that a first information report was filed against the editorial team of the newspaper, including two journalists. On Tuesday, the Indian Women’s Press Corps and the Press Association criticised the filing of the case. A joint statement by the two bodies said, according to PTI: “The increasing incidence of registration of FIRs against journalists is disturbing. It criminalises the journalist and shows disrespect for the role of a free press.”

Political Reactions

Debjit Sarkar, a BJP spokesperson, said in a statement reported by The Times of India: “I don’t know who all went there. Wearing saffron cannot be a political identity. If any particular person is identified, the party can comment on it. Our party does not condone attacks on any place. We don’t know who went there, but our party was not involved.”

Trinamool Congress leader Kunal Ghosh said on social media that protests cannot descend into brute force, adding: “Ongoing attacks all around, with governmental support, and such a display of muscle power by uncultured brutes have dealt an ugly blow to Bengal’s image,” as reported by in.