'Saffron brigade' targets fish shops near temple in Delhi's CR Park, vendors say ‘we built it’
A video circulated, showing a member of Hindu outfit making a case before the fish sellers for shutdown of shops, citing proximity to temple.
Delhi's Chittaranjan Park, also known as mini Kolkata, has hit headlines with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accusing Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra of attempting to disrupt communal harmony in the national capital and demanding a probe against her for sharing a video on social media that allegedly shows individuals threatening fish vendors in the locality.
The controversy erupted after a video circulated, showing a member of “saffron brigade” making a case before the fish sellers for the shutdown of shops, citing a temple's closeness.
The anti-meat overdrive of the Hindu right group hit the local markets of Chittaranjan Park last week with their warning, according to a news agency PTI report.
Mahua Moitra, MP of West Bengal's ruling TMC, posted a series of statements on microblogging platform X, accusing BJP workers of threatening Bengali fish vendors.
CR Park fish sellers in disbelief
Fish sellers of Chittranjan Park, also known as CR Park, found themselves in a state of disbelief over the warning to shut their shops and claimed they were the ones who built the religious structure in the first place.
TMC MP Mahua Moitra, in one of her posts, shared a video, with the text: "Please watch as saffron brigade BJP goons threaten fish-eating Bengalis of Chittaranjan Park, Delhi. Never in 60 years has this happened, residents say."
Mahua Moitra, too, claimed that the temple in question was built by the market people.
In another post, she shared a WhatsApp message, allegedly from a local, who described the situation as "terrible" due to the "forced closure" of meat and fish shops.
Divendu, a fish vendor, said that some people came to his shop and asked him to close his shop, as they recorded the incident on camera.
"We told them the land was approved by the DDA for us to set up our shops. No one has ever asked us to shut down before," PTI quoted Divendu as saying. "We are Bengali Sanatanis. We also pray before opening our shops each day – this is our tradition."
Mithoon Das, another shopkeeper, said he has been selling fish in the area for 25 years and what happened that day was never seen before.
"Around four or five days ago, a few people came and told us that we had to shut down our shops because we cannot sell fish near a temple," Das said.
Ashok Bose, the vice-chairman of the EPDP (East Pakistan Displaced Persons Colony), an apex body of the Bengali community in CR Park, said the group became aware of the issue through social media.
He said the fish market association has submitted a complaint to the EPDP, and its secretary, Ashok Bhattacharjee, would file a police complaint.
"The fish market was here even before the temple was built. In fact, shopkeepers pooled money to build the temple," PTI quoted Ashok Bose.
Bose said that across India, temples are commonly located near markets or even within police stations so people can offer prayers before starting their day. "No one has had any issue with the temple being next to a fish market until now," he added.
Sanjeev Bhattacharya, a priest at the Kali Temple near the market, said fish is considered auspicious in Bengali traditions, adding that it is offered to the goddess during Durga Puja and served at weddings as well.
"Every culture has its practices, and no one should oppose that…Those who eat fish don't have a problem with the market, but those who don't, often do. There are also wine shops and hookah parlours near the temple, but no one objects to those," he added.
An authorised source cited in the PTI report said no complaint has been made yet with the police. "The market is a licensed one according to MCD records. The video appears to be outdated, but we are verifying the date of the incident. No police complaint has been received so far," said the person.
BJP reacts
Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva said everyone must respect the sanctity of temples and added that fish market traders in CR Park have always done so.
"Fish markets have been legally allotted and are essential in this area. Traders maintain high cleanliness standards and actively participate in CR Park's socio-religious events," he said.
Videos from places across Delhi have earlier surfaced on social media showing local BJP MLAs or other leaders asking meat sellers to shut their shops citing one pretext or the other.
Last month, Delhi minister Parvesh Verma informed the Assembly that orders had been issued to remove illegal meat and fish-selling units in the capital.
