The Congress party in West Bengal has filed police complaints against Dhirendra Shastri, the head of Bageshwar Dham temple, for his remarks urging Hindus to avoid eating non-vegetarian food during Durga Puja and at pandals. The controversy also involves statements from the Trinamool Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party.
On Tuesday, the Congress' West Bengal unit filed police complaints against Dhirendra Shastri following his remarks at an event in Kolkata on Sunday, where he expressed displeasure with 'dirty' non-vegetarian food being consumed during Durga Puja and festivity-linked gatherings. The complaints allege that Shastri's comments have hurt the sentiments of Bengalis and insulted the state’s culture and traditions.
According to reports, complaints against Shastri have been filed in all districts of West Bengal.
Seeking the registration of a first information report against Shastri, Pradip Prasad, the Congress’ South Kolkata district unit chief, said that his remarks could spark ‘disharmony in the society, including division, which is against the democratic and peaceful spirit’. Prasad alleged that Shastri had made ‘vile’ remarks about what people should eat during the festival and described the language he used as being ‘derogatory and insulting to Bengali culture’.
Shastri's remarks were not well received by the Trinamool Congress, who claimed on social media that the Bharatiya Janata Party ‘wants to snatch fish and meat from the plates of Bengalis’. The TMC further stated that Bengalis ‘will not let go’ if somebody tries to dictate what they eat or celebrate their festival.
BJP leaders in the state have rejected Shastri’s remarks. The party’s West Bengal unit chief Samik Bhattacharya said that ‘what one eats or wears is a personal choice’. Bhattacharya also highlighted that ‘Bengal’s food culture is diverse, and everyone has the freedom to follow their own preferences’.
The row comes after the Vishva Hindu Parishad on August 26 urged Durga Puja organisers in the state to follow ‘traditional’ religious practices, including keeping meat outside the pandals. The organisation clarified that it was not asking for organisers to adopt an exclusively vegetarian approach but suggested that ‘non-vegetarian’ food stalls be kept in designated areas outside pandals.
Source:
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