West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya rejects remarks by Dhirendra Shastri, popularly known as Bageshwar Baba, who urges people to give up non-vegetarian food during the Durga Puja period and calls those who continue eating it “pakhandis.” Bhattacharya says Bengalis will continue following their traditional food practices.
The two outlets describe the same dispute and place it in the context of religious observances and personal choice. Bhattacharya also argues that an outsider cannot decide what people in the state should eat, and the BJP leadership distances itself from any attempt to prescribe food habits. The focus is on who has the authority to set rules for community practices and how religious guidance is interpreted in public debate.
While the trigger is Shastri’s appeal to avoid meat and his criticism of those who do not, outlets present Bhattacharya’s response as a defense of local customs during Durga Puja. Both accounts emphasize that Bengalis should be able to follow customary traditions rather than follow directives from visitors or religious figures outside the community.
