Eight days after a mob attack during Kolkata’s Gita Path event, patty seller Sheikh Riyajul remains traumatised and jobless. His Rs 3,000 earnings were destroyed, and the five accused walked free on bail. With no help from authorities or society, fear and financial pressure may force him to return.
As India marks 150 years of Vande Mataram, political celebration has reignited long-standing objections from Muslims and other minorities. The debate highlights tensions between religious conscience, historical memory, and the risk of imposing majoritarian symbols as tests of national loyalty.
ECI draft electoral rolls show 58 lakh voter deletions in West Bengal. Data and independent analysis suggest non-Muslims, particularly Matuas and non-Bengali voters, are more affected. The findings challenge claims that voter exclusions under the SIR exercise primarily target Muslim infiltrators.