Poster Campaign Urging Purchases from Hindu Shops Sparks Controversy in Siliguri
Posters urging people in Siliguri, West Bengal, to buy biryani and goods only from Hindu-owned shops sparked controversy ahead of Durga Puja. The Hindu Jagaran Manch, linked to the RSS, said the campaign was an appeal to support Hindu businesses, not a directive. Former CPI(M) minister Asok Bhattacharya condemned the posters as communal and called for police action. Some residents and political leaders criticized the campaign for conflicting with Bengal's inclusive traditions, while BJP leaders distanced themselves from it.
First-hand measurement across 3 sources
We measured how 3 outlets covered this story. Coverage leans balanced overall (Left 10%, Centre 78%, Right 12%). Overall sentiment is negative (31/100). Lens Score 47/100.
Outlets measured: deccanherald, thehindu, hindustantimes. See how each one headlined and framed the same story in the source comparison below.
AI Analysis
All 3 outlets scored close to centre on political lean. The real divergence here is in emphasis, not lean — compare the headlines below to see how each outlet chose to frame the same facts.
Sentiment was consistent across outlets (28–38/100), indicating broadly factual reporting rather than editorialising.
Coverage timeline
hindustantimes broke this story on 11 Oct, 02:26 pm. Other outlets followed.