Congress leader arrested for protesting against Baba Bageshwar’s remarks in Kolkata
Kolkata Police arrested Congress leader Atanu Das for protesting against remarks made by preacher Dhirendra Krishna Shastri regarding dietary habits during Durga Puja. The arrest has drawn criticism from the Congress party, which views the action as political repression.
Why it matters
The event underscores rising tensions between religious discourse, political expression, and state authority in West Bengal.
The Kolkata Police on Friday (September 11, 2026) arrested Congress leader Atanu Das for holding a protest and burning photographs of Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, alias Baba Bageshwar, outside the Bhawanipore police station on September 8.
The arrest in the early hours of Friday came after Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had on Thursday directed the police to arrest those protesting against the preacher. He backed Mr. Shastri and said in the State Assembly that the godman’s remarks on going vegetarian during pujas were only a prescriptive.
West Bengal Congress president Subhankar Sarkar described the arrest as repression unleashed by the West Bengal government.
“ I strongly protest and condemn this incident of arrest. We want to ask, why was that so-called Baba Bageshwar, who made derogatory remarks about Bengalis, who insulted Bengali culture and heritage, not arrested?” Mr. Sarakar said in the statement.
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