Rejecting Dhirendra Shastri’s advice, several BJP leaders say Bengalis will eat non-vegetarian food during Durga Puja
Several West Bengal BJP leaders have publicly rejected advice from religious figure Dhirendra Krishna Shastri to adopt a vegetarian diet during Durga Puja. The leaders emphasized that consuming non-vegetarian food is a cultural norm for Bengalis during the festival.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the tension between religious orthodoxy and regional cultural practices within the political landscape of West Bengal.
A day after the president of the West Bengal unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Samik Bhattacharya said Bengalis would eat fish and meat during Durga Puja, rejecting the advice of the chief priest of Bageshwar Dham Dhirendra Krishna Shastri to follow a vegetarian diet during the pujas, several other BJP leaders came out in Mr. Bhattacharya’s support.
From Ministers of the West Bengal government to veteran party leaders, everyone followed the line taken by Mr. Bhattacharya. However, none of them criticised the self-styled godman, and some said that there was nothing wrong in promoting vegetarianism.
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