New Delhi, June 16 (SocialNews.XYZ) A series of egg-throwing incidents have been reported from various parts of West Bengal, with people said to be taking to the practice in a show of discontent and defiance against leaders of the Trinamool Congress, which was in power in the State till April this year.
The custom has a long history as a form of protest and public humiliation, dating back centuries in Europe. Rotten eggs and vegetables were hurled at criminals in public stocks as a form of humiliation. In the 19th–20th Century, “egging” became a common protest tactic against unpopular leaders and performers, chosen for its messiness and symbolic insult rather than physical harm.
Eggs are associated with nourishment and poverty alleviation, yet their use as missiles highlights public anger at leaders. In India, while eggs are tied to nutrition programmes like the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, in politics, they become a cheap yet powerful protest tool.
Egg-throwing has been a global protest tactic for over a century. In 1910, British protestor Ethel Moorhead threw an egg at then Home Secretary Winston Churchill in response to the treatment of suffragettes in prison. In 1917, Australian Prime Minister Billy Hughes was egged in Queensland during his conscription campaign, leading to the establishment of the Commonwealth Police Force in 1919. In 1960, US Vice President Richard Nixon was pelted with eggs and tomatoes while campaigning in Chicago.
In India, reports cite a 2009 incident involving then Home Minister P. Chidambaram in Chennai over India’s position on the Sri Lankan Tamil issue. In 2011, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah faced a similar attack. In January 2025, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal, then Delhi’s Chief Minister, was targeted with eggs and a stone at a rally. Odisha ministers were also targeted in 2021–22, leading to the notorious “egg wars” in State politics.
In the latest episode, top Trinamool leaders, including Abhishek Banerjee, Madan Mitra and Kunal Ghosh, along with district leaders, are facing such missiles in post-poll public anger.
Source: IANS
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