Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari eats fish inside Kalighat temple: ‘People can eat whatever they want'
Keeping up with the tradition of West Bengal, the state's chief minister Suvendu Adhikari visited Kalighat Temple on the occasion of Kaushiki Amavasya on Thursday and enjoyed the traditional bhog offered at the temple — sweets, basanti pulao and fish.
While the idea of eating non-vegetarian food inside a temple is something which may not sit well in several parts of the country, but in West Bengal, for some temples, such bhog is an integral part of their rituals and tradition.
In a video, Adhikari is seen sitting on the floor with other people and enjoying the basanti pulao and fish with his hands.
After the blog, Adhikari said that any saint or religious leader can express his opinion, referring to the recent remarks made by Madhya Pradesh-based Bageshwar Baba, who had appealed Bengalis to not eat non-vegeterian food during Durga Puja.
“People can eat whatever they want, we don't control it. As a Bengali, I will eat what Bengalis eat. Today, I ate the offering which included fish and basanti rice. However, on ashtami, I also offer pushpanjali and follow a sattvik diet. That does not dilute the Sanatani traditions,” Adhikari said while talking to the reporters.
What was the controversy
Dhirendra Krishna Garg, 30, the chief priest of Bageshwar Dham and popularly called Bageshwar Baba, was in Bengal last week to attend the three-day Hanumant Katha at Liluah in Howrah district. On Saturday, he was hosted by Adhikari for a dinner.
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While addressing the people at Lilua, Bageshwar Baba said, "Please don't mind but there is something I don't like about West Bengal. During Navratri and Durga Puja non-vegetarian food is consumed near the pandals. All sorts of dirty food are prepared."
"I want every Hindu to wake up during the coming Navratri and expel those people. They are not pious. They are sacrilegious," he added.
To this appeal, West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party's president Samik Bhattacharya responded indirectly by saying “how can Bengalis not eat fish and meat” and dismissed the religious leader's remarks as “personal opinion”.
"How can Bengalis not have fish and meat? Even Swami Vivekananda said Ma Kali will have mutton (as an offering). It is dangerous if someone tries to rise above Vivekananda. This is his personal opinion," Bhattacharya said.
"There is nothing wrong with someone appealing people to become vegetarian. There is a campaign on vegetarianism. Many people and even some doctors suggest it. But how can a sadhu or a political party tell you what you are going to eat at home? He is respected and popular across the nation. He has made an appeal," he added.
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