A right-wing supporter threatens fish sellers in East Delhi to shut down shops
Fish sellers in Chittaranjan Park, an upscale neighborhood in South East Delhi, were told to remove their stalls as it was located near a temple.
An undated video of the incident was shared by Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra, where three men clad in saffron kurtha are seen threatening fish sellers to vacate the location as it fell near a temple. One of the right-wing supporter is heard telling the fish sellers that claims of meat and fish being offered to Hindu deities are false.
“All we know is the premises and nearby surroundings of a temple should be pure. In Hindu mythology, we do not sacrifice animals,” he replies back.
When the shopkeepers try to reason out that they have official authorisation from the Delhi Development Authority to do business in the area, the right-wing supporters reply that they would talk to the concerned officials and ‘rectify the mistake’.
The video was shared by TMC MP Mahua Moitra questioning the Delhi police about the delay in action against the right-wing supporters. “Please watch saffron brigade BJP goons threaten fish-eating Bengalis of Chittaranjan Park, Delhi. Never in 60 years has this happened, residents say,” read her X post.
In another post, the TMC MP said, “The temple in CR Park that BJP goons are laying claim to was built by the non-veg market vendors. They pray there – the big pujas are held there. Three months of BJP rule in Delhi. A good anniversary present.”
In her third post, she claimed, “WhatsApp message from a Bengali who lives near CR Park saying how terrible the situation is with the forcible closure of meat and fish shops.”
Delhi police will launch an investigation into the matter. Sources in the force said they have not received any complaints so far, but they are verifying all the facts from the social media posts.
“The market is a licensed market according to MCD records. The video appears to be outdated, but we are verifying the date of the incident. The police have not received any complaint so far,” said a police source.
The priest at the temple cleared the air that there is no problem in selling fish or meat near the premises. “There is no problem in selling meat or fish as it is used during ‘puja’ in Bengali tradition. The DDA should have thought before allotting the slots for business,” the priest said.
“In West Bengal, fish is considered a sacred species. Fish is offered at all major events, including weddings. In fact, I do not understand why the fish sellers are targeted. If you have many problems, then shut down the alcohol serving outlets that are located near several temple areas,” the priest said, adding, “Fish is also found in the River Ganges. Is the river polluted?”
(With PTI inputs)
This post was last modified on April 9, 2025 6:59 pm