Two viral videos from Delhi, one involving a BJP councillor confronting a foreign football coach and another showing students forcing their way into shops, have triggered a wider debate on intolerance, vigilantism and the abuse of authority in public spaces.
In the first video, Renu Chaudhary, an elected councillor of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, was seen berating an African national who works as a football coach training children in a public park in East Delhi.
Speaking loudly in Hindi, Chaudhary questioned why the coach has not learnt the language despite staying in India and threatened consequences if he fails to do so within a month.
“If you are earning money here, learn to speak Hindi,” she is heard saying, warning that the park could be taken away if the coach does not comply.
In another portion of the undated clip, she issued a stern warning about park timings and safety, holding those present responsible for any alleged wrongdoing after 8 pm.
Chaudhary later claimed she had raised the issue months earlier but allowed the coach to continue after residents vouched for his work with children.
The video drew criticism online, with users calling the remarks “shameful” and accusing the councillor of disregarding constitutional values in pursuit of political posturing.
Another video surfaced from the Delhi University campus, where a group of students allegedly forced entry into a mall and threatened staff over the sale of halal-certified food products.
The clip showed protesters questioning product labelling and warning shopkeepers against continuing sales, reportedly forcing some outlets to shut.
The incident has sparked online discussions around consumer choice, campus regulations and the dangers of taking the law into one’s own hands.
The Telegraph Online has not independently verified the videos.
While authorities are yet to issue an official statement, multiple social media users flagged concerns over intimidation and the normalisation of mob pressure.
Together, the two episodes underline a growing unease over how power, identity and cultural assertions are being enforced on the ground, often without legal sanction and with little regard for individual rights.