By Zaidul Haque, TwoCircles.net,
Kolkata: Kolkata remained tense throughout Tuesday as protestors showed up at places to block vehicular traffic while some minor sporadic incidents of violence were also reported. Members of the Muslim community were protesting against the publication of nude picture of model Poonam Pandey with a frame showing Sachin Tendulkar as God and a Pakistani cricket player offering sajda before the frame. The image was published on Monday in English daily The Telegraph.
Poonam Pandey had tweeted with her nude picture on 16th March after Tendulkar made century of 100s against Bangladesh. She had tweeted: `FOR GOD’S SAKE!’. Thinking what pic should! gift the `God of Cricket’… This Historic moment reminds me of an old pic which one of my fans had morphed…
The Kolkata-based English daily published the provocative nude photo in its entertainment supplementary T2 on Monday. Within hours, Muslim-dominated pockets of Kolkata became tense. In the night on Monday, Muslims of Metiaburuz area staged protest and some angry people vandalised a police car.
Since Tuesday morning Tikiapara and Bankra – Muslim-dominated areas of Howrah — besides Kolkata witnessed some violence. However, Rapid Action Force controlled them. The news of the nude picture spread rapidly throughout Kolkata’s Muslim dominated areas. Traffic was blocked in the Park Circus area, the heart of the city, and people gathered to protest against the newspaper. Rajabazar and Metiaburuz also remained tense. In Park Circus 7 point junction people stopped the local MLA and state Minister Jawed Ahmed Khan. People demanded arrest of the Editor of The Telegraph. Schools in area were closed early. Then police came out on the street and requested people to maintain peace.
Mamata cuts short Delhi visit, returns Kolkata
At that time Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee was in New Delhi. Top police officials and Trinamul Congress leaders informed her about the tense situation in Kolkata. She quickly gave instruction to the Police officials to control the situation carefully and very sincerely. She cut her Delhi visit and returned Kolkata in the evening. Talking to reporters she said no newspaper should publish any news which could hurt the sentiments of any community. She however blamed opposition CPIM for misusing the situation and giving it a communal color.
Mamata appealed to Muslims, `I don’t want to play any communal game. My responsibility is to ensure peace in West Bengal and no article should be published in Newspaper which would hurt Muslims’ religious mind. I have given instruction to the administration to tackle the situation strictly. I never tolerate any conspiracy against the Muslim community,’ said Chief Minister. She appealed to people to remain peace as Higher secondary examination of WBCHSE and ICSC board is going on.
Chairman of State Left Front committee Biman Basu called a press conference and condemned the publication of the naked picture with religious parcticing. He also said, “to maintain peace, we will cooperate with the state government to keep the heritage of communal harmony of Kolkata as well as West Bengal.”
Muslim groups call for peace
Muslim organizations have also reacted to the development and called for peace. Jamaat-e-Islami Hind West Bengal issued a statement and protested against the nude picture of a girl with a Muslim doing sajda before her. He appealed to the people to maintain the peace. He also requested Editors of all newspapers not to publish this kind of news or photograph.
All the Muslim areas have been put on high alert. Police presence has been increased. A police official said RAF and paramilitary forces are on standby because they have instruction from CM to keep peace at any cost and to keep safe the life of minority people.