West Bengal Congress leaders took formal action Tuesday against controversial religious figure Dhirendra Shastri, filing a police complaint over what they call his "insulting" remarks about Bengali food traditions during Durga Puja. The move comes after the Bageshwar Dham chief priest suggested people avoid non-vegetarian food during the festival—a recommendation that struck at the heart of Bengali culinary culture.

Key facts

  • Complaint filed September 8, 2026 at Bhawanipur police station
  • Targets Bageshwar Dham chief priest Dhirendra Shastri
  • Congress alleges insult to Bengali culture and traditions
  • Multiple complaints filed across West Bengal districts

The Controversial Comments

At an event in Howrah days earlier, Shastri had made his provocative statements. "Who wants fish and meat shops to be closed in Bengal during Durga Puja?" he asked his audience. He went further, describing non-vegetarian food as "dirty" and those who consume it during festivals as "pakhandis"—hypocrites. The comments immediately sparked outrage among political leaders and cultural observers who saw them as an attack on Bengal's identity.

Political Backlash

The Congress response was swift and organized. Pradip Prasad, president of the South Kolkata District Congress Committee, led the filing at Bhawanipur police station while party workers protested outside demanding an FIR. But this wasn't an isolated action—similar complaints were filed at Muchipara police station and across all districts of West Bengal, indicating a coordinated party response.

"Bengali culture, lifestyle, eating habits, or religious practices, or who we believe in, or pray to cannot be dictated by a godman like him," senior Congress leader Suman Roy Chaudhuri told The Hindu.

Roy Chaudhuri didn't stop there. He leveled serious allegations, suggesting such godmen act as "sleeper cells of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh" who travel nationwide to provoke people and impose what he called "North Indian culture." The language reveals how deeply the party views this as cultural imposition rather than mere religious advice.

Cultural Significance

At stake is more than just food preference. Durga Puja represents Bengal's most prestigious festival, and traditional fish and meat dishes form an integral part of the celebration for many Bengali families. The Congress complaint explicitly states that Shastri "has uttered vile sentences and preached what to eat and what not to eat" during this sacred period—crossing a line that many Bengalis feel protects their cultural autonomy.