00:00We need churiachi!
00:01We need churiachi!
00:03Stone-pelting lati-charge flag marches.
00:06These scenes played out in Kolkata's Park Circus,
00:08which has long functioned as one of the city's
00:10most visible Muslim-majority neighbourhoods.
00:12Politically, Park Circus has often been
00:13a focal point for Muslim mobilisation and
00:16outreach. Large iftar gatherings,
00:18minority politics and protests have
00:19frequently centred around the area.
00:21Now, after the BJP stormed into power in Bengal,
00:24it has become a focal point of much
00:25bigger political and cultural
00:27confrontation.
00:34The Shubindu Adhikari government has reportedly
00:36instructed police to ensure that namaz prayers
00:38are held only inside mosques
00:40and not on busy roads or crossings,
00:43including Kolkata's iconic Red Road.
00:45For many in Park Circus and nearby Raja Bazaar,
00:48this was not just an administrative order.
00:50It was seen as a direct challenge
00:52to a decades-old public practice
00:53that had continued under previous governments,
00:55especially during the Mamata Banerjee era.
00:58Days were not just an administrative order
00:58days before the clashes. Protests erupted
01:00in Raja Bazaar after police tried to stop
01:02Friday namaz on the streets.
01:03Then came demolition drives in Tiljala,
01:05Hawra and Sialda areas where shops and structures
01:08were bulldozed as part of anti-
01:10encroachment operations.
01:11On 17th May, crowds gathered at Park Circus
01:147 point crossing. Protesters
01:16blocked roads. Police and
01:18CRPF personnel moved in to disperse them.
01:20Soon, the confrontation spiralled.
01:22Stones were hurled. Vehicles were vandalised.
01:24Police responded with lati charge.
01:26Several personnel were injured and multiple
01:28arrests followed.
01:29Mamata Banerjee has accused the government
01:31of bulldozer politics and targeting vulnerable
01:33communities in the name of governance.
01:35For years, the BJP accused the Mamata government
01:37of minority appeasement, especially over issues
01:40like public namaz, loudspeakers and religious processions.
01:43Now, after coming to power, the BJP appears determined
01:46to signal a sharp break from that error.
01:48And Park Circus, because of its symbolism,
01:51demographics and political visibility,
01:54has become the perfect stage for that message.
01:56Tell us what you think.
01:57Like and share this video.
01:58Follow more on Instagram.
01:59I'm Manisha Dikari.
02:00You were watching First Think Fast.
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