Kolkata cops summon Congress leaders over protest against Bageshwar Baba

The Kolkata police summoned Congress leaders Ashutosh Chatterjee and Pradip Prasad on Sunday in connection with their protest against Bageshwar Dham chief priest Dhirendra Krishna Shastri’s controversial comments about eating non-vegetarian food during Durga Puja.

The Congress protested on Tuesday against the remarks of Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, also known as Bageshwar Baba, and its leader Atanu Das filed a police complaint against Shastri. However, the police later arrested the Congress leader for allegedly promoting hatred between different religious groups and hurting religious sentiments.

“The first thing is that it is not about food, vegetarian or non-vegetarian. It is about a person who has insulted Bengali culture, heritage, and Durga Puja in its own land. We are very straight on one thing: those who stay in West Bengal are all Bengalis, be it Chatterjee, Banerjee, Bose, Das, Jain, Agarwal, or anybody else.

This is a state of brotherhood and Durga Puja is for everyone,” Chatterjee, who is a Congress general secretary, told The Indian Express. Chatterjee further alleged that while Shastri insulted Bengal, the who’s who of the government were sitting beside him and laughing and eating together.

On September 6, Shastri said he dislikes “dirty” non-vegetarian food being eaten during Durga Puja and at gatherings linked to the celebration. He also stated that meat must not be sold near the goddess's idol during the festival.

Atanu Das’s arrest came within hours after Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari spoke about tough action against those who burnt the religious leader’s photos during protests. Adhikari and his Cabinet colleagues hosted a dinner for Shastri on September 4, before he made the controversial remarks at a religious event in Liluah, Howrah.

Tanusree Bose is a dedicated journalist reporting for The Indian Express from Kolkata. Her work focuses sharply on the complex administrative, political, and judicial developments across West Bengal, establishing her as an authoritative voice in regional news coverage.

Experience Current Role: Reports for the prestigious national daily, The Indian Express, providing her content with a high level of Trustworthiness. Geographical Expertise: Provides focused, in-depth coverage of West Bengal, demonstrating an intimate knowledge of the state's news and political nuances.

Core Authority: Her reporting portfolio highlights deep Expertise in crucial, often sensitive, beats, including: State Politics and Governance: Covering the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), opposition strategies (BJP), and internal political controversies.

Judicial and Administrative Affairs: Closely monitoring key developments in the Calcutta High Court, particularly major rulings related to employment, education, and social issues. Education Sector: Extensive reporting on significant controversies, such as teacher recruitment irregularities and administrative actions by the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE).

Social & Electoral Issues: Covering public events, community tensions (e.g., religious/political gatherings), and election-related processes like the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll. Tanusree Bose's consistent output and focus on high-stakes regional issues for a trusted media outlet underscore her status as a reliable and authoritative source for news from West Bengal.

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