Kolkata: West Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari on Thursday publicly felicitated three men accused of assaulting Muslim street vendors during a religious event in Kolkata, drawing sharp criticism and raising concerns over political endorsement of violence.
The incident took place during a large scale Gita recitation programme organised by the Sanatan Sanskriti Sansad, a collective linked to monks and Hindutva groups. The event, titled Panch Lokkho Konthe Gitapath, drew several senior BJP leaders, including Adhikari. During the programme, three Muslim vendors selling chicken patties were allegedly attacked. The victims included 50 year old Sheikh Riyajul and 60 year old Salauddin.
According to reports, a group accused the vendors of being Bangladeshi infiltrators, threw away their food items, and assaulted them. Police later arrested three men identified as Soumik Golder, Tarun Bhattacharya, and Swarnendu Chakraborty. A city court granted them bail on personal bonds of Rs 1,000.
The accused face charges including unlawful assembly, wrongful restraint, voluntarily causing hurt, outraging religious feelings, criminal intimidation, and mischief. Despite the charges, Adhikari felicitated the three men and shared photographs of the event on social media.
In his statement, Adhikari said he acted out of duty toward his religion. He criticised the Mamata Banerjee government and accused the state police of targeting supporters of Sanatan Dharma. He said his identity as a legislator or party leader came later, while his religious duty came first.
Adhikari also claimed justice still found a voice in the country. His remarks and actions have intensified debate around communal tension, rule of law, and the role of political leaders in incidents involving religious violence.
