Kolkata: BJP Workers Held For Attacking Muslim Hawkers Get Bail

Kolkata: Three BJP workers, who were arrested by police late on Wednesday night for allegedly beating two Muslim hawkers for selling chicken patties during the Bhagvad Gita recitation event at the Brigade Parade Ground in the city, were granted bail by a court.

Police had arrested Soumik Goldar and Swarnendu Chakraborty, who hail from Gobordanga and Ashoknagar respectively in North 24 Parganas. and Tarun Bhattacharya of Uttarpara in Hooghly, identifying them from the viral videos about the incident on December 7, following a complaint by hawkers Sheikh Riyazul and Mohammad Salauddin.

Riyazul alleged that his products worth ₹3000 were destroyed in the mob attack. On Thursday, the three arrested BJP workers were produced at the Bankshall court. Their lawyers prayed for their bail as most of the charges against them were non-cognisable.

According to them, the accused wanted veg patties but were sold chicken patties which hurt their religious sentiment. They also submitted that Soumik was a cancer patient with one leg. The public prosecutor claimed an insult to the hawkers’ religious sentiment which is a non-bailable offence, and sought a 14-day police remand of the accused trio.

The judge rejected the police remand plea and granted bail to the three accused against a personal bond of ₹1000 for each. When the hearing was underway at the court, West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamul Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee defended the arrest.

She told a party rally at Krishnanagar in Nadia, “They beat up hawkers. We arrested everyone last night. This is Bengal and not Uttar Pradesh. I do not believe in communal divisions. I want to walk with all religions."