Bengal Congress lodges police complaint against Bageshwar Baba over Durga Puja meat diktat

Bageshwar Dham Sarkar Acharya Dhirendra Krishna Shastri. File | Photo Credit: ANI The West Bengal Congress on Tuesday (September 8, 2026) lodged a police complaint against Bageshwar Dham head priest Dhirendra Shastri over his Durga Puja diktat, asserting that it hurt the religious sentiments of Bengalis and was intended to create disharmony.In the complaint submitted to the officer-in-charge of Bhawanipore police station here, the South Kolkata District Congress Committee alleged that Mr. Shastri made “derogatory” comments during an event in Howrah on September 5.“We want to apprise you that immediate administrative action needs to be initiated, and an FIR needs to be registered with necessary arrests,” Committee president Pradip Prasad said in the complaint.The Congress alleged that the remarks could spark disharmony in society, and were against the democratic spirit.The self-styled godman, popularly known as Bageshwar Baba, had made an appeal to Bengalis to give up non-vegetarian food during Durga Puja festivities and described people who eat meat on religious occasions as "hypocrites". Published - September 08, 2026 04:41 pm IST