West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday led the Gerua Samman Yatra, a saffron-coloured procession, alongside Naga Sadhus and BJP workers from Golpark to the 8B bus stand near Jadavpur University in south Kolkata.
Dressed in a saffron kurta and carrying a saffron flag, Adhikari headed the 2.5 to 3-kilometre march, which was described by the BJP as an effort to defend the dignity of the saffron colour and assert its cultural and spiritual significance.
Addressing the gathering, Adhikari said, “In today’s West Bengal, where there is a spiritual awakening around saffron, we will not tolerate anyone uttering insulting words against or writing derogatory comments about it.”
He vowed to eliminate slogans such as “Kashmir Mange Azadi”, “Free Palestine” and “Red Salute to Kishenji” from the Jadavpur University campus, describing the institution as the land of Sri Aurobindo and Swami Vivekananda. “I have taken an oath. I will uproot the ‘Kashmir demands azaadi’ gang and those who raise slogans such as ‘Free Palestine’ and ‘Red salute to Kishenji’ from Jadavpur,” he said.
The march comes after ABP Group’s Anandabazar Patrika carried the headline “Gerua Gundami” (Saffron Hooliganism) over clashes involving ABVP at Jadavpur University in late August, prompting Adhikari to demand an apology from the daily. Days later, a group of saffron-clad men visited the Anandabazar Patrika office in Kolkata, shouted slogans and painted the compound walls saffron.
Naga Sadhus were among those who walked in the procession, with one addressing the gathering and questioning why their faith was being targeted. Vande Mataram and Gayatri Mantra were played at the 8B crossing before the CM’s speech.
When saffron becomes a banner of assertion, even campuses turn into battlefields of identity. Follow Dharmic News for more updates on Hindu community issues and global affairs.
