Suvendu’s 'respect saffron' march widens BJP battle with Left, Anandabazar

Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari’s ‘Gerua Samman Yatra’ in Jadavpur on Wednesday, 9 September brought saffron-clad sadhus, BJP workers and nationalist slogans onto the streets, sharpening an already bitter political confrontation over Left politics, university dissent and freedom of the press.

Leading a nearly three-kilometre procession, Adhikari repeatedly attacked slogans and graffiti associated with the Left, Kashmir and Palestine. Conch shells, ululation and loudspeakers playing the Gayatri mantra accompanied the march, which was billed as a 'defence' of the saffron colour. “Saffron will prevail on the soil of Swami Vivekananda,” Adhikari told the gathering.

But much of his speech was directed at political opponents. Referring to graffiti reading ‘red salute to Kishenji’, he said, “I have taken a vow that here in Jadavpur — the land of Rishi Aurobindo — I will uproot those who offered a ‘red salute’ to Kishenji [or Mallojula Koteswara Rao, a Maoist leader of the Communist Party of India (Maoist), a banned organisation in India].”

Recalling the political battle that ended 34 years of Left Front rule in Bengal, Adhikari said, “In 2011, I pledged to oust the Communists and then the Jamaat-backed government; with your blessings, that happened.” He said he would now take on what he called the “tukde tukde” and “azadi gang”, a common target for BJP leaders, who claim Left supporters want azadi or freedom from India and want it to break the nation into tukde (pieces).

Adhkari's remarks come amid heightened tensions at Jadavpur University, where clashes between Left student organisations and the RSS-affiliated ABVP have added to a longstanding contest over student politics, ideology and campus space.

The BJP mobilisation also comes against the backdrop of a separate confrontation with Bengali daily Anandabazar Patrika. The newspaper had used the phrase ‘gerua gundami' (saffron hooliganism) in a headline about the Jadavpur controversy. Adhikari objected to the wording and demanded an apology, arguing that political parties could be criticised but the saffron colour should not be insulted. He warned that “the result will be terrible” and that the newspaper would not be able to “handle the terrible consequences”.

The dispute subsequently spilled beyond the newspaper’s pages. FIRs were filed against journalists over the headline, while saffron-clad protesters later gathered outside the newspaper’s Kolkata office and painted parts of the premises saffron. Press freedom advocates criticised the action, and the Press Club of India called for the FIRs against the journalists to be withdrawn.

Adhikari also announced plans to return to Jadavpur for religious programmes. “I will come once to recite the Vedas to teach a lesson to those who insult the nation and the saffron ideology. And I will come another time to recite the Hanuman Chalisa,” he said. He announced a three-day 'Veda-path (reading)' programme and appealed to “all nationalist people” to participate.

The Left sharply criticised the mobilisation. Left leader Md Salim described it as an apparent “war against Jadavpur University and other universities”. Referring to the presence of sadhus, he said Bengal’s intellectual tradition had already shown how universities should be run and added, “Just wearing saffron does not make you a saint.”

TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee accused the BJP of attempting to dictate not only political discourse but also aspects of Bengali life. “They will interfere in what Bengalis will wear, eat and everything else,” he said, adding that the party was now seeking to dictate “what the media should show and write”.

Adhikari also turned his attention to higher education, saying a “historic Bill” concerning transfers would be introduced in the Assembly during a special session. He said he had sought “10–15 minutes” to speak on the issue on Thursday.