Adhikari’s visit came amid a political and social dispute in Bengal over an appeal by Bageshwar Dham chief Dhirendra Krishna Shastri asking people to avoid non-vegetarian food during Durga Puja. After offering prayers to Goddess Kali at Kalighat, Adhikari accepted bhog that included different preparations of fish along with Basanti Pulao.
His visit is being viewed not merely as a religious trip but also in the context of the ongoing debate over Bengal’s local traditions and food culture. The fish bhog he accepted has added another dimension to the controversy that intensified following Shastri’s recent remarks.
The controversy began with Dhirendra Krishna Shastri’s appeal to people in West Bengal to refrain from eating fish and meat during Durga Puja. Several political leaders and organisations in Bengal viewed his remarks as an attempt at outside interference in local traditions. According to some reports, Shastri used objectionable words while referring to non-vegetarian food and commented on the eating habits of Bengalis.
Following the remarks, Congress leaders opposed them and filed a complaint with the Kolkata Police. The Congress alleged that such comments insulted Bengali culture and religious traditions and demanded action against Shastri.
Amid the controversy, some leaders within the BJP also distanced themselves from Shastri’s remarks. West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya said that personal views of religious leaders should not be imposed on the people of Bengal and that the state has its own religious and cultural traditions.
The importance of fish bhog at Kalighat is linked to the long-standing relationship between religious traditions and food practices in Bengal. At Shakti Peeths such as Kalighat, the tradition of offering different forms of bhog, including fish, is regarded as part of the local religious culture. Adhikari’s visit to Kalighat and his acceptance of fish bhog has therefore assumed significance in the cultural context of the controversy.
According to reports, on the occasion of Kauliki Amavasya, Adhikari offered puja materials to the deity at Kalighat, participated in the aarti and anjali, and later accepted bhog. The bhog included fish preparations along with Basanti Pulao. He also accepted the fish head as prasad.
Politically, the development is being viewed in the context of Bageshwar Baba’s remarks as a clear cultural message that Bengal has its own distinct religious traditions and food culture.
The BJP has also seen internal differences over the issue. Some party leaders have not supported Dhirendra Shastri’s remarks, citing Bengal’s local traditions and pointing out that offerings of fish or meat to deities exist at several places in the state.
The issue has therefore moved beyond a BJP-versus-opposition political dispute, with different reactions emerging within the BJP itself over Bengal’s cultural identity and religious traditions.
The controversy intensified further after Congress leader Atanu Das was arrested by the police. Das and his supporters had staged a protest against Shastri’s remarks. During the protest, reports emerged that pictures of Shastri had been burned. Following this, action was taken against Das on charges including promoting enmity between religious groups and hurting religious sentiments.
The Congress criticised the arrest and described it as an attempt to suppress democratic protest. Party leaders alleged that the government was taking action against voices protesting Shastri’s remarks while sufficient action had not been taken over his comments.
As the controversy escalated, Dhirendra Krishna Shastri also issued a clarification regarding his remarks. He said that his intention was not to insult any religion, region or tradition. He linked his statement to awareness against animal violence and sacrifice, saying that his message concerned compassion towards living beings.
Despite the clarification, the political controversy in Bengal has not completely subsided. Opposition parties have argued that there is a distinction between offering religious advice and commenting on the specific cultural traditions of a state.
Shubhendu Adhikari’s visit to Kalighat and his acceptance of fish bhog has also assumed political significance in the wider controversy. Local identity, culture and religious traditions have long been part of the political discourse in Bengal.
The development also sends a message that religious faith and local cultural traditions can exist in different forms, while attempts to make a particular food practice mandatory for an entire society can come into conflict with local diversity. The Kalighat episode has thus brought the debate over religion, food and Bengali cultural identity into sharper political focus.
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