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'Do we have to eat dhoklas and chant Jai Shree Ram?' Mahua Moitra on “BJP goons” shutting fish market

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National Heraldpublisher-detail-arrow
09th April, 2025 15:35 IST

The Delhi Police will apparently launch an investigation, following TMC MP Mahua Moitra’s claim on Tuesday, 8 April, that a few people — allegedly belonging to right-wing ideology — forcibly tried to close fish shops in South Delhi’s Chittaranjan Park area.

Sources in the force said they have not received any complaint about the matter, but they are verifying all the facts from the social media post.

“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 The video appears to be outdated, but we are verifying the date of the incident.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.

In a series of social media posts on X, Moitra posted a video with the caption, “Please watch as saffron brigade BJP goons threaten fish-eating Bengalis of Chittaranjan Park, Delhi. Never in 60 years has this happened, residents say.”

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.”

The attached screenshot is purportedly from someone who lives near CR Park and says the meat and fish shops have been closed for the last 10 days.

Incidentally, the 10 days prior to 7 April were the 10 days of the Chaitra Navratri, with several BJP-administered states and cities imposing partial or complete meat bans by the governments themselves. Delhi was not, at least officially, one of these.

Coincidentally, the ban on Navratri sale of ‘non-veg’ coincided with Eid celebrations as well as the Bengali Annapurna puja on 5 April — where the goddess is typically served a bhog of a full Bengali feast, including fish.

CR Park has long been a bastion of the Bengali community in Delhi — with many who live elsewhere coming here to shop for their favourite regional comestibles.

Meanwhile, Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva, in a statement, said that everyone should respect the sanctity of temples, and that the fish market traders in CR Park have always respected the temples.

“The fish markets have been legally allotted and are a necessity in the area. The fish traders maintain a high level of cleanliness in the area and regularly participate in the socio-religious activities of CR Park,” Sachdeva said in the statement.

The video posted on social media by Mahua Moitra seems to have been tailored by people with vested political interest to disturb community harmony in CR Park, it read.

“We strongly condemn the incident and request the Delhi Police to take stern action,” the statement concluded.

Meanwhile, Moitra has posted again on 9 April, Wednesday, saying "Terrorising Hindu fishmongers into shutting legal shops next to a temple they built — BJP goons caught on video but not yet arrested. Hello @DelhiPolice — Or are we all supposed to eat dhoklas and chant Jai Shri Ram?"

In a PTI video, a priest of the local Kali Temple is seen declaring that the Brahmins here have no issue with the sale of fish and meat nearby, and, indeed, that “non-veg” is used the in the goddess’ puja as well.

With PTI inputs

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