'Russian Chaiwali' - Kolkata's Viral Tea Shop Owner - Forced To Shut

Kolkata: Papia Ghosal, popularly known as “Russian Chaiwali,” was forced to shut down her tea shop after a fatwa was issued against her.

What's The Whole Matter?        

Ghosal, who had quit her job to follow her passion, had quit her job to pursue her dream of running her own business and had set up a small tea shop on the side of National Highway No. 16 at Ankurhati near Domjur four months ago. 

However, as the shop became more well-known both locally and on social media, she began to receive harassment from the community and ultimately had to close her business.

According to sources, a poster with a fatwa was circulated in the village, ordering her to shut down the tea shop. The local community people alleged that her Instagram profile pictures promote nudity that attracts “anti-social people.” Locals also claimed that she was spoiling the environment of the village. 

Ghosal, however, has denied all allegations and has filed a complaint at the Domjur police station. 

The local police, on the other hand, said that they can't do much in this matter as the shop is built on government land along the national highway. 

This is not the first time when a woman entrepreneur and social media influencer has faced moral policing. A few months ago, “Vada Pav Girl Chadrika Gera Dixit had also faced such moral policing issues wherein she was denied the right to run her food stall in public, and the video went viral on social media.”