‘My objection was to animal sacrifice, not your food’: Bageshwar Baba clarifies Bengal remarks

Kolkata: Bageshwar Dham seer Dhirendra Krishna Shastri has sought to clarify his controversial remarks on non-vegetarian food during Durga Puja in West Bengal, saying his comments were being ‘misinterpreted’ and insisting that his objection was primarily to animal sacrifice and eating meat near puja pandals.

The seer had triggered a political and social controversy after his recent visit to West Bengal, where he described those eating non-vegetarian food during Navratri as ‘pakhandi’ (hypocrites).

He had also appealed to Hindus in the state to oppose the sale of non-vegetarian food near Durga Puja pandals.

Speaking at an event in Glasgow, Scotland, Shastri appeared to soften his position.  

‘Who am I to tell people not to eat non-vegetarian food during Puja?’ he said, while clarifying that he personally did not support animal sacrifice.

‘I do not like the practice of animal sacrifice. As a religious leader, I had asked people not to eat fish or meat at the pandal,’ he said.

‘If you eat non-vegetarian food, don’t eat it near the pandal’

Shastri said his intention was not to dictate people’s food choices but to appeal to devotees to maintain the sanctity of religious spaces.

‘Some people may not have liked what I said. But as a religious leader, I was opposing the practice of animal sacrifice. I only wanted to say that if someone does eat non-vegetarian food, please do not eat it near the Mother’s pandal,’ he said.

Despite clarifying his food position, the Bageshwar Dham seer remained firm in his opposition to animal sacrifice.

‘Shiva resides in every living being. We should discuss what the scriptures say. I have raised my voice against animal sacrifice and will continue to do so,’ he said.

The controversy began after Shastri addressed a ‘Hanuman Katha’ programme in Liluah, Howrah, last Sunday.

Referring to Durga Puja celebrations, he objected to non-vegetarian food being prepared and consumed behind puja pandals during Navratri.

He had urged Hindus in Kolkata to ‘wake up’ and oppose the practice, saying that non-vegetarian food should not be sold near a Durga idol during Navratri.

His remarks about people who consume such food being ‘pakhandi’ subsequently drew sharp criticism. The issue also put the Bengal BJP in a difficult position.

While party leaders did not directly confront Shastri over his comments, several leaders publicly spoke about their own preference for non-vegetarian food, signalling that the seer’s remarks did not necessarily represent the position of the party or its leaders.

The controversy soon spilled onto the streets. A section of Congress workers protested outside Bhabanipur police station on Tuesday and burnt a photograph of Shastri in protest against his remarks.

The political confrontation escalated further after Chief Minister and state Home Minister Shubhendu Adhikari directed action against those allegedly involved in burning the seer’s photograph.

Police subsequently registered an FIR against several Congress leaders, including Ashutosh Chattopadhyay and Pradip Prasad.

The accused were booked on allegations including public harassment, attempts to disturb peace, efforts to create enmity between groups based on religion, caste or language, and spreading hatred.

Later, Bhabanipur police arrested Atanu Saha, general secretary of the South Kolkata district Congress, from his residence on Kshetramohan Naskar Lane in Kolkata.

Shastri’s latest remarks are therefore being seen as an attempt to draw a distinction between opposing animal sacrifice and objecting to people’s personal food choices.

While his position against animal sacrifice remains unchanged, his clarification indicates that he does not claim the authority to dictate what devotees eat during Puja.