Hindu Jagaran Manch, an affiliate of the RSS, put up posters across Siliguri in West Bengal on May 28, 2026, urging residents to buy biryani and puja articles from shops owned by Hindus. The signs read, "Eat biryani at a Hindu shop" and "Buy puja articles from Hindu shops," and the organization insists the message is an appeal rather than a directive.
Abhishek Das, an HJM member, said the campaign is meant to support Hindu‑run businesses and boost the local economy. "This is not a diktat but an appeal," he told PTI, adding that backing these shops would strengthen the community’s economic fabric.
Senior CPI(M) leader and former minister Asok Bhattacharya slammed the posters as a communal plot, calling them a crime in a secular nation. He demanded that authorities remove the signs and arrest those behind the campaign. Several residents echoed Bhattacharya’s concerns, arguing that Bengal’s tradition of enjoying biryani transcends religious identity.
A BJP leader clarified that HJM is an independent organization and that the ruling party has no involvement in the campaign, a claim that has not yet been verified by the state government. The city administration has yet to issue a formal response, leaving the posters to remain on display as the debate over secularism and commerce continues.