Opinion | Beyond Bakri Eid Debate, Decoding Suvendu Adhikari's Emerging Bengal Model

Updated: May 24, 2026 18:07 pm IST Published On May 24, 2026 18:05 pm IST Last Updated On May 24, 2026 18:07 pm IST

Published On May 24, 2026 18:05 pm IST

Last Updated On May 24, 2026 18:07 pm IST

A series of developments around Bakri Eid in West Bengal have triggered political debate and opened a larger discussion about governance, administration, religious accommodation, and the evolving political approach of the new BJP government under Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.

The developments are being viewed not as isolated administrative decisions but as signals of a broader political framework the BJP government appears to be building in Bengal.

The first development concerns the traditional Eid prayers at Kolkata's Red Road. This year, the customary Eid congregation will not be held on Red Road. Instead, prayers are scheduled to take place at the nearby Brigade Parade Ground on May 28.

For many years, the Khilafat Committee has organised Eid prayers in Kolkata. 

The Joint Commissioner of Kolkata Police, Suvdeep Sarkar, said Eid prayers will not be allowed on the roadway and that arrangements have been made at Brigade Parade Ground.

There is also uncertainty regarding another long-standing Eid congregation at Park Circus and Syed Amir Ali Avenue. 

The second development relates to government holidays around Eid-ul-Adha. The West Bengal government revised the holiday schedule. According to earlier notifications, May 26 and May 27 had been designated as public holidays. Subsequently, changes were introduced, and the two-day holiday structure was modified.

This move has drawn political attention because such decisions are often viewed not only from an administrative perspective but also through the lens of symbolism and messaging.

The third and perhaps most debated issue concerns animal sacrifice........

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