Apologise within 24 hours: Bengal CM to ‘Anandabazar Patrika’ for ‘saffron hooliganism’ headline

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Friday asked newspaper Anandabazar Patrika to apologise for using the phrase “saffron hooliganism” in its headline to describe the August 20 clash between student groups at Jadavpur University.

“I will ask a news outlet in West Bengal to do political campaigns, political criticism,” Adhikari said at an event to mark the Hindu festival Raksha Bandhan. “But don’t attack saffron. The result will be terrible. You will not be able to handle the terrible consequences.”

Adhikari added: “Apologise within 24 hours. Print it on the first page…the writing was wrong. Otherwise, there will be a protest by those wearing saffron.”

The chief minister did not name Anandabazar Patrika in his speech. However, the comments came amid criticism of the newspaper by Bharatiya Janata Party leaders.

On Thursday, a complaint was filed with the police seeking a first information report against the editorial team of Anandabazar Patrika over the newspaper having used “gerua gundami”, or saffron hooliganism, on its front page, The Wire reported.

The complainant filed by spiritual leader Sanjay Shastri Maharaj demanded that action be taken against two journalists working with the newspaper.

The colour saffron is a religious symbol to Hindus and not a political one, The Wire quoted the complainant as having stated. Linking the colour to “hooliganism” went “beyond criticism of any particular political organisation...

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