- Hindu Jagaran Manch put up posters in Siliguri urging support for Hindu-owned shops
- Posters read "Eat biryani at a Hindu shop" and "Buy puja articles from Hindu shops"
- HJM calls it an appeal, not a directive, to boost the local Hindu-run economy
Hindu Jagaran Manch (HJM), an affiliate of the RSS, has put up posters across the city of Siliguri in West Bengal, urging people to buy biryani and puja articles from shops owned by Hindus.
According to the organisation, the posters with messages like "Eat biryani at a Hindu shop" and "Buy puja articles from Hindu shops" are not a directive.
"This is not a diktat but an appeal. If people support businesses run by Hindus, it will also impact the local economy," said HJM member Abhishek Das.
"Putting up such posters is a crime in a secular, democratic nation. The administration should not only remove the posters but also arrest those behind this communal campaign," said Senior CPI(M) leader and former minister Asok Bhattacharya.
Several residents criticised the move, saying that it is contrary to the spirit of free thinking and Bengal's social traditions, according to a report by news agency PTI. They said Bengalis have traditionally been enjoying biryani without enquiring about the religious identity of the person preparing it.
A BJP leader said the HJM was an independent organisation and that the ruling party had no involvement in the campaign.
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