NEW DELHI: West Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari on Thursday visited Kolkata’s Kalighat Temple and partook of the normal fish and pulao bhog, days after Dhirendra Krishna Shastri triggered a row by asking Bengalis to surrender non-vegetarian meals throughout Durga Puja.The go to got here because the controversy over Shastri’s remarks continued to develop, with leaders throughout events, together with the BJP, pushing again towards alleged makes an attempt to dictate Bengal’s meals habits.Chatting with reporters after providing prayers, Adhikari described Kaushiki Amavasya as a major event in Sanatan tradition and stated that the competition was being noticed with devotion at main temples throughout the state, together with Kalighat and Tarapith.“At the moment is Kaushiki Amavasya. At the moment is a really massive day in our Sanatan tradition, a serious worship (Mahapuja). Whether or not it’s Kalighat right here or Tarapith there, it’s taking place concurrently,” Adhikari stated.“State-level worship is being held in Tarapith. Right here in Kalighat, all our lighting has been arrange; it’s an environment of celebration all through,” he added.Adhikari stated Kolkata holds a particular non secular significance, recalling its affiliation with Maa Kali, Maa Durga, Ramakrishna Paramahansa, Maa Sarada Devi, Swami Vivekananda and Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.“This can be a non secular land. It’s the land of Ma Kali, the land of Ma Durga, the land of Thakur Ramakrishna Dev, the land of Ma Sarada Devi, the land of Swami Vivekananda, and the land of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu,” he stated.BJP Bengal additionally posted Adhikari’s picture and stated, “On the sacred event of Kaushiki Amavasya, chief minister Shri Suvendu Adhikari supplied prayers to Maa Kali at Kalighat and, following the temple’s conventional customs, partook of the sacred bhog of pulao and fish.”This comes days after Bageshwar Dham chief Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, throughout his go to to West Bengal for a three-day Hanumant Katha in Howrah’s Liluah, appealed to Bengali Hindus to watch Navratri with devotion and sincerity.What’s the controversyThroughout his go to to Bengal, Shastri had appealed to Bengalis to surrender non-vegetarian meals through the Durga Puja festivities and described those that eat meat on spiritual events as “hypocrites”.Fish and meat are carefully related to conventional delicacies in West Bengal, whereas spiritual practices range throughout communities and areas.Shastri’s remarks additionally led to a uncommon show of unity between Congress and BJP as each events rejected the godman’s recommendation, saying private views shouldn’t dictate what Bengali society ought to eat.On Tuesday, Congress lodged a police criticism towards Shastri, asserting that the decision was “meant to create disharmony”.Within the criticism submitted to the officer-in-charge of Kolkata’s Bhawanipore police station, the South Kolkata District Congress Committee alleged that Shastri made “derogatory” feedback throughout an occasion in Howrah on September 5.“We need to apprise you that fast administrative motion must be initiated, and an FIR must be registered with obligatory arrests. His remarks might spark disharmony in society and had been towards the democratic spirit,” Congress chief Pradip Prasad stated within the criticism, in accordance with PTI.
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In the meantime, BJP West Bengal chief Samik Bhattacharya stated that Bengalis would “proceed to eat what they’ve been consuming”.“We usually eat ‘luchi’ on Ashtami and goat meat on Navami. We’ll proceed to try this. No one can inform the individuals of West Bengal what they need to eat,” Bhattacharya stated.“Let me dwell the best way I need to. Bengalis will eat what they’ve been consuming. Can Bengalis not eat fish and meat?” he requested, quoting Swami Vivekananda.