CNN Central News & Network-ITDC India Epress/ITDC News Bhopal: West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has directed the Kolkata Police Commissioner to arrest those allegedly involved in burning photographs of Bageshwar Dham chief priest Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, popularly known as Bageshwar Baba. The incident has added a fresh political dimension to the ongoing controversy over Shastri’s remarks on non-vegetarian food during Durga Puja.
Shastri had recently appealed to people in Bengal to refrain from cooking or consuming fish and meat near Durga Puja idols during Navratri and the festival period. His remarks triggered criticism from several sections, with opponents arguing that fish and meat are closely associated with Bengali food traditions and cultural practices.
The controversy escalated after protesters allegedly burned Shastri’s photographs outside the Bhawanipore police station in Kolkata. Adhikari condemned the act, saying that while a religious leader has the right to express his views, burning someone’s photograph in protest would not be tolerated. He instructed the police commissioner to take immediate action against those responsible.
The episode has also exposed differences within the BJP’s Bengal unit. State BJP president Samik Bhattacharya had earlier said that Shastri was free to express his views but could not decide what people in Bengal should eat or wear.
The dispute has now developed into a broader debate over religious expression, Bengali cultural identity, food traditions and political tensions in West Bengal.
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