CR Park fish market row: 'Misleading' video, says BJP; seeks probe against Mahua Moitra

Calling the video "irresponsible and misleading," Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva demanded a police investigation against the TMC MP.

New Delhi: The Delhi BJP has accused TMC MP Mahua Moitra of attempting to disrupt communal harmony in the national capital and demanded a probe against her for sharing a video on social media that allegedly shows individuals threatening fish vendors in Chittaranjan Park.

Mahua Moitra, in a series of posts on X on Tuesday, alleged that right-wing groups had tried to forcibly shut down fish and meat shops in the area.

In one of the posts, she wrote, "Please watch as saffron brigade BJP goons threaten fish-eating Bengalis of Chittaranjan Park, Delhi. Never in 60 years has this happened."

Calling the video "irresponsible and misleading," Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva demanded a police investigation into both the creators of the video and Moitra for reposting it without verification, an official statement of BJP said on Wednesday.

"The video, shared by Mahua Moitra and created by unknown individuals, has disturbed the social fabric of Delhi. If she had the seriousness of an MP, she would have reported this to the police rather than creating a sensation online," Sachdeva said.

He alleged that Moitra's action was either aimed at deflecting attention from TMC’s internal issues or driven by a desire to stay in the news. "This is nothing short of criminal negligence," he added.

The BJP leader also clarified that the fish markets shown in the video have been legally operating for over six decades. "Most of the vendors are Hindus; they comply with hygiene norms and participate in local cultural events. Many of them are BJP supporters," he said.

Local BJP MLA from Greater Kailash Shikha Roy said that CR Park is a symbol of cultural harmony, especially during Durga Puja, and that no outsider will be allowed to tarnish its reputation.

"The fish market is legal and essential to the community. The BJP stands with the vendors," she said.

TMC MP, in a video message earlier in the day, accused the BJP of targeting Hindu shopkeepers for their dietary habits. "Is the BJP going to tell us what to eat and where to have legal shops? These are Hindu vendors. BJP is anti-Muslim, anti-Hindu and anti-Constitution," she said.

The Delhi BJP has urged the police to arrest those who created the video and probe the TMC MP for what it described as a "sensational and baseless" attempt to stir unrest.