Congress, BJP unite in Bengal against Dhirendra Shastri’s ‘no non-veg’ call

West Bengal has witnessed an unusual moment of political convergence, with the Congress and BJP, otherwise rivals in the state, taking a similar position against Bageshwar Dham chief priest Dhirendra Krishna Shastri over his remarks on non-vegetarian food during Durga Puja.

The controversy began after Shastri, during an event in Howrah on September 5, appealed to Bengalis to stay away from fish and meat during the Durga Puja festivities.

He also criticised those who consume non-vegetarian food during religious occasions, referring to them as 'hypocrites'. His comments have since triggered a political and cultural debate in Bengal.

The Congress has responded by taking the issue to the police. The South Kolkata District Congress Committee lodged a complaint at Bhawanipore Police Station, alleging that Shastri's remarks could disturb communal harmony and hurt the sentiments of Bengalis.

The party has sought immediate administrative intervention, registration of an FIR and action against the religious leader.

However, what has given the controversy a distinctly political twist is the reaction from the BJP.

West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya has publicly distanced the party from Shastri's position. Bhattacharya said that no religious figure or political organisation should have the authority to decide what Bengalis should eat or wear.

He maintained that Shastri was entitled to his personal views but could not impose them on Bengali society.

Bhattacharya also defended the state's established food traditions, pointing to the long association of fish and meat with Bengali culture and religious practices.

His comments effectively put the state BJP on the same side as the Congress on the central issue: opposition to prescribing a uniform dietary practice for Bengalis during Durga Puja.

The BJP's response is particularly notable because the party and Congress are usually sharply divided on questions involving religion and cultural identity.

In this case, however, both parties have rejected Shastri's attempt to link dietary choices with religious observance, albeit through very different political approaches.

For the Congress, the issue has become one of social harmony and what it describes as respect for Bengali sentiments. Its complaint argues that the remarks could create divisions and calls for legal action.

The BJP, meanwhile, has framed its opposition around cultural traditions and individual freedom.

The controversy has also highlighted the diversity of practices surrounding Durga Puja in Bengal.

While some devotees observe strict dietary restrictions during the festival, fish and meat have also historically formed part of Bengali food culture and, in some traditions, religious practices. This variation has made Shastri's call particularly contentious in the state.

With Durga Puja scheduled from October 16 to 20 this year, the disagreement has arrived just weeks before one of Bengal's biggest festivals.

What began as a religious leader's appeal has consequently developed into a larger political debate over food, faith, cultural identity and the right of individuals to follow their own traditions.

For now, the most striking aspect of the row remains the rare alignment between two political opponents.

On an issue that has placed religion and Bengali cultural practices at the centre of debate, Congress and BJP have found common ground in rejecting Shastri's dietary prescription.