Congress protests against Bageshwar Baba over Durga Puja remarks; seeks FIR, arrest

The controversy over Bageshwar Dham chief Dhirendra Shastri’s remarks on food during Durga Puja escalated on Tuesday, with Congress workers protesting outside Bhawanipore Police Station in Kolkata, carrying posters of Shastri branding him the “BJP poster boy” and beating the posters with shoes. The party also submitted a written complaint seeking an FIR and his arrest, while announcing that an effigy of Shastri would be burnt.

The complaint was submitted by the South Kolkata District Congress Committee to the Officer-in-Charge of Bhawanipore Police Station. It accuses Shastri of making “unruly” and “dangerous” comments that hurt the sentiments of Bengalis and could create social disharmony.

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The complaint refers to remarks Shastri allegedly made at a public event in Liluah between September 4 and 6, particularly on September 5. Congress has objected to his use of phrases including “Ganda Ganda Cooking” — or “dirty cooking” — and “Pakhandi”, meaning hypocrite, while criticising the consumption of non-vegetarian food during Durga Puja.

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The party has urged police to initiate immediate administrative action, register an FIR and make “necessary arrests”, alleging that the remarks could fuel division and disturb the “democratic and peaceful spirit” of society.

The complaint comes days after Shastri, while addressing an event in Kolkata, urged Hindus to avoid non-vegetarian food during Durga Puja and criticised meat being sold near pandals. He reportedly said those eating non-vegetarian food during the festival “cannot be considered religious” and appealed to Hindus in Kolkata to boycott the practice.

The remarks have triggered a political backlash in Bengal. The Trinamool Congress accused the BJP of attempting to “snatch fish and meat from the plates of Bengalis”, pointing to a recent meeting between Shastri and state BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari.

BJP veteran Tathagata Roy also distanced himself from the remarks, saying he eats non-vegetarian food during Navratri and remains “100% Hindu”, arguing that Hindutva does not work through decrees. The controversy also follows a Vishva Hindu Parishad appeal to Durga Puja organisers to keep non-vegetarian food stalls outside pandal premises.