Saffron-clad men protest outside Anandabazar Patrika office in Kolkata

On Tuesday, a group of saffron-clad men staged a protest outside the Anandabazar Patrika office in Kolkata. They painted parts of the building's white exterior with saffron paint, following the paper's recent report titled "Gerua gundami" or "saffron hooliganism." The report, published a few days ago, described clashes at Jadavpur University.

As a result, an FIR has been registered against the newspaper's editorial team, including two senior journalists. However, the FIR has faced criticism from journalists and media groups, who are calling for its withdrawal. The protesting men raised slogans of "Anandabazar Patrika hai hai" (Shame upon Anandabazar Patrika) and "Hindustan will not tolerate the insult of saffron."

After a few hours, the newspaper's staff repainted the walls to their original white color. The protestors' identities are yet to be disclosed, and no official complaint has been filed against them as of yet. The police have not issued any official statements regarding the incident. Videos of the event have gone viral on social media, showing several police personnel standing by as the saffron-clad men painted the walls and raised their slogans.

Trinamool Congress MLA Kunal Ghosh condemned the incident, stating that while differences in opinion and protests are acceptable, the use of brute force is unacceptable and has damaged Bengal's image. Following the violence at Jadavpur University on August 19-20, the newspaper published two reports using the phrase "saffron hooliganism."

One of these reports led to a complaint filed by Sanjay Shastri Maharaj at the Bowbazar Police Station. The complaint objected to the use of the phrase, claiming it hurt the sentiments of the Hindu community and could disturb public peace.