Locals protest after saffron-clad youths assault Coffee House staff

KOLKATA: A day after some youths donning saffron T-shirts—bearing the image of Narendra Modi—allegedly assaulted the staff of the city's iconic Coffee House in College Street and tore 'No Vote to BJP' posters, locals staged a demonstration outside the outlet on Tuesday.

The protestors marched in the streets and burnt BJP's flag at the intersection of College Street and Mahatma Gandhi Road. Earlier, the youths had shouted 'Jai Sri Ram' slogans in the Coffee House. Known to be the hub of intellect, Coffee House had seen the turbulent days of Naxal movement in the late 1960s, but it witnessed shouting of slogans for the first time on Monday. The visitors present there were taken aback.

When the waiters opposed the youths, they were beaten up. An altercation broke out between the visitors and the saffron youths.Meanwhile, the protestors while addressing the gathering urged people not to cast any vote for BJP as the saffron party was systematically trying to destroy the culture of Bengal.

"Those who are coming from Delhi are not aware of Bengal's culture. Debates take place at Coffee House, but not sloganeering," the protestors said. They claimed that the saffron brigade was trying to suppress the voice of democracy.

It may be recalled that Trinamool Congress Chairperson Mamata Banerjee had supported the 'No Vote to BJP' supporters. The supporters had organised a rally where the leaders of the farmers' movement at Singhu border had addressed the people some days back.