Dhirendra Shastri’s call for Hindus to avoid ‘dirty’ non-veg food during Durga Puja sparks row
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A row has erupted in West Bengal after Dhirendra Shastri, the head of the Bageshwar Dham temple, on Sunday said that Hindus must avoid eating non-vegetarian food during the Durga Puja festival and at pandals.
Speaking at an event in Kolkata, Shastri said he does not like it when “dirty” non-vegetarian food is eaten during Durga Puja and at gatherings linked to the festivities.
“I want the Hindus of Kolkata to awaken and boycott such people,” he said. “…[These people] cannot be considered religious.”
Meat must not be sold near the goddess’ idol during the festival, he added.
The festival will begin on October 6 and conclude on October 10 this year.
Eating meat during Durga Puja is common among Bengali Hindus and animal sacrifice is an important ritual for some in the community.
The Opposition Trinamool Congress said that Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had welcomed Shastri in the state. Adhikari had met the religious leader on Friday.
The party claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party “wants to snatch fish and meat from the plates of Bengalis”. “For this purpose, raids are being conducted in all restaurants before the puja,” the party said on social media.
Bengalis “will not let this go”, said the party.
Former TMC spokesperson Riju Dutta said that Durga Puja “is an emotion” to Bengalis and celebrating the festival “in our own way is our culture, identity and...