Hindu Jagaran Manch (HJM), an affiliate of the RSS, has put up posters across the city of Siliguri in West Bengal, urging people to buy biryani and puja articles from shops owned by Hindus.
“This is not a diktat but an appeal. “Putting up such posters is a crime in a secular, democratic nation.
The posters with messages like “Eat biryani at a Hindu shop” and “Buy puja articles from Hindu shops” are not a directive, according to the organisation. If people support businesses run by Hindus, it will also impact the local economy,” said HJM member Abhishek Das. The administration should not only remove the posters but also arrest those behind this communal campaign,” said Senior CPI(M) leader and former minister Asok Bhattacharya.
A BJP leader said the HJM was an independent organisation and that the ruling party had no involvement in the campaign.
Several residents criticised the move, saying that it is contrary to the spirit of free thinking and Bengal’s social traditions, according to a report by news agency PTI. They said Bengalis have traditionally been enjoying biryani without enquiring about the religious identity of the person preparing it.
