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2 clusters · 7 sources · 1 days · First seen · Last updated

Anandabazar Patrika controversy and protests

Overview

Tensions escalated in Kolkata following a report by the Bengali daily Anandabazar Patrika regarding clashes between student groups at Jadavpur University. The newspaper used the phrase “Gerua Gundami” (saffron hooliganism) to describe the incident, which drew criticism from those who viewed the term as derogatory to Hindu religious sentiments.

On September 1, 2026, protesters dressed in saffron clothing targeted the newspaper’s office, painting its pillars and walls saffron while shouting slogans such as “Bhagwa ka apmaan nahi sahega” (“We will not tolerate the insult of Bhagwa”).

Following these events, a first information report (FIR) was filed against the newspaper’s editorial team, including editor Ishani Dutta Roy and chief reporter Soma Mukherjee. The Calcutta High Court subsequently declined to grant urgent relief to the journalists, advising them to seek to quash the FIR through regular legal channels.

Entities

Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad · Kolkata Police · Calcutta High Court · Students’ Federation of India · Jadavpur University

Timeline

  1. 13 days ago

    [POLITICS] 3 sources
    Calcutta High Court declines relief for Anandabazar Patrika journalists

    The Calcutta High Court declined urgent relief for Anandabazar Patrika journalists facing an FIR over a headline describing university clashes as “saffron hooliganism.”

  2. 13 days ago

    [POLITICS] 5 sources
    Anandabazar Patrika office targeted by saffron-clad protesters

    Saffron-clad protesters targeted the Anandabazar Patrika office in Kolkata, painting its pillars saffron in protest of a headline describing university clashes as “saffron hooliganism.”

Sources

deccanchronicle.com · hinduexistence.org · liveLaw.in · millenniumpost.in · scroll.in · thequint.com · tourism.at