Amidst the controversy raging over the remarks made by a Madhya Pradesh religious preacher advocating vegetarian food for Bengali Hindus during Durga Puja, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari late on Thursday (September 10, 2026) partook in the traditional fish and pulao bhog at Kolkata’s Kalighat temple.

The video of the Chief Minister having pulao and fish was shared largely on social media including by West Bengal BJP . “On the sacred occasion of Kaushiki Amavasya, Chief Minister Shri @SuvenduWB offered prayers to Maa Kali at Kalighat and, following the temple’s traditional customs, partook of the sacred bhog of pulao and fish,” the West Bengal BJP said on social media, sharing the video.

The video surfaced days after Dhirendra Krishna Shastri alias Bageshwar Baba on September 6 urged Bengalis to give up non-vegetarian food during the pujas.

 “I want to appeal to the Hindus of Bengal that during Navratri, even if you don’t keep the idols of the Goddess, do not sell non-veg near the idols,” the self-styled godman had said during an event at Liluah in Howrah on September 6.

Also Read: Suvendu Adhikari backs freedom of food choice, religious practices

West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya, on September 7, expressed strong differences with the Madhya Pradesh religious preacher by saying nobody could ask Bengalis to give up non-vegetarian food.’

“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 [Shastri’s] personal opinion,” Mr. Bhattacharya had said on September 7.

The Chief Minister, however, defended Mr. Shastri and directed the police to arrest those protesting against the preacher. One Congress leader was arrested on Friday (September 11, 2026) for burning photographs of the Madhya Pradesh religious preacher.

“Those who want to accept will accept, and those who do not want will not. He did not impose it on anyone. I saw a number of people burning his photographs outside Bhawanipore police station. I am directing the CP [Commissioner of Police] from here that these people need to be arrested,” the Chief Minister had said in the State Assembly on Thursday (September 10, 2026).

Several leaders of the West Bengal unit of the BJP including president of State unit and several Ministers have said that there was no question of giving up non-vegetarian food. There is a long tradition of offering and having non-vegetarian food during Durga Puja festival in West Bengal.