Bengal Congress lodges police complaint against Bageshwar Baba over Durga Puja meat diktat
The West Bengal Congress has filed a police complaint against religious leader Dhirendra Shastri for his comments urging Bengalis to abstain from non-vegetarian food during Durga Puja. The party claims his remarks are derogatory and intended to incite social disharmony.
Why it matters
This highlights the ongoing tension between religious rhetoric and secular political discourse in India, particularly regarding cultural practices during major festivals.
The West Bengal Congress on Tuesday (September 8, 2026) lodged a police complaint against Bageshwar Dham head priest Dhirendra Shastri over his Durga Puja diktat , asserting that it hurt the religious sentiments of Bengalis and was intended to create disharmony.
In the complaint submitted to the officer-in-charge of Bhawanipore police station here, the South Kolkata District Congress Committee alleged that Mr. Shastri made “derogatory” comments during an event in Howrah on September 5.
“We want to apprise you that immediate administrative action needs to be initiated, and an FIR needs to be registered with necessary arrests,” Committee president Pradip Prasad said in the complaint.
The Congress alleged that the remarks could spark disharmony in society, and were against the democratic spirit.
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