BJP's Bengal Unit Rejects Bageshwar Baba's Meat Ban Call
· India · NDTV, Hindustan Times
West Bengal BJP President Samik Bhattacharya publicly rejected Bageshwar Dham head priest Dhirendra Shastri's appeal for a ban on non-vegetarian food near Durga idols during Durga Puja. Speaking in Howrah, Shastri had urged Hindus to observe Navaratri and called those who consume non-vegetarian food during Durga Puja impious, asking the government to shut meat and liquor shops during the festival. Bhattacharya said Shastri comes from 'another world' and has no right to dictate what Bengalis eat, invoking Swami Vivekananda's defence of Bengali food habits. The remarks have sparked heated debate on social media over cultural identity and dietary freedom in West Bengal.
Why it matters
The clash exposes internal fault lines within the BJP in West Bengal over cultural outreach ahead of Durga Puja, putting the party's state leadership at odds with a prominent saffron-aligned religious figure who was recently hosted by the BJP government.
Read the original report — NDTV
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