Suvendu Adhikari eats fish at Kalighat temple, BJP says let non-veg row end

A plate of fish bhog at Kolkata’s centuries-old Kalighat temple became the centre of a political and cultural debate after BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari was seen eating the traditional offering amid a controversy over non-vegetarian food during Durga Puja.

Adhikari visited the temple on Thursday evening on the occasion of Kaushiki Amavasya, an auspicious day for Shakta Hindus. A video from his visit showed the BJP leader sitting on the floor and eating bhog that included a large fish head, fried fish and basanti pulao.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. pic.twitter.com/CRWHKzW3gZ— BJP West Bengal (@BJP4Bengal) September 10, 2026

Fish is a traditional offering at Kalighat, where devotees are also offered bhog containing fish and, on occasions, goat meat sacrificed as part of the temple’s rituals.

Adhikari’s meal came against the backdrop of a row triggered by remarks from Bageshwar Dham chief Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, who had appealed to Bengali Hindus to avoid non-vegetarian food during Durga Puja.

Shastri had also described those who continued eating non-vegetarian food during the festival as “pakhandi”.‘THOSE WHO WANT TO ACCEPT IT, WILL'

Asked about Shastri’s remarks during his Kalighat visit, Adhikari said the preacher was entitled to his opinion but that people could decide for themselves whether to follow it.

“A saint has expressed his opinion. Those who want to accept it will accept it; those who do not will not,” Adhikari said.

He also used his own religious practices to explain the distinction between different Hindu traditions and occasions.

“I am a Sanatani Hindu. On Mahashtami, when I worship Maa Durga, I consume sattvik food. During Kartik month also, I consume sattvik food. At the same time, I consume non-vegetarian food such as goat meat offered to Maa Kali,” he said.VIDEO | Kolkata, West Bengal: "Accept it or not, it is a saint's view," says West Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari on Bageshwar Baba's meat diktat. He adds, "As a Bengali, I also consume fish and meat as part of ‘prasad’ offered to God."(Full video available on PTI Videos - pic.twitter.com/dCadZAEakH— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 10, 2026BJP DEFENDS BENGAL'S FOOD TRADITIONS

The episode has taken on political significance in West Bengal, where the debate over fish, meat and religious practices has increasingly intersected with questions of Bengali identity.

The BJP’s state unit has pushed back against the suggestion that an outside religious figure should dictate dietary choices in Bengal.

State BJP president Samik Bhattacharya had earlier said Bengalis would continue to eat fish and meat, while maintaining that religious preachers should not decide what people in the state eat.

BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari also defended Adhikari’s participation in the traditional fish bhog at Kalighat.

“Let the controversy end where it should. At Kalighat, CM @SuvenduWB takes part in Maa Kali’s traditional Fish Bhog — respecting Bengal’s faith, traditions and way of life,” Bhandari said in a post on X.Let the controversy end where it should.At Kalighat, CM @SuvenduWB takes part in Maa Kali’s traditional Fish Bhog — respecting Bengal’s faith, traditions and way of life.Under his leadership, the BJP will always stand firmly for Bengal’s interests, Bengal’s traditions and pic.twitter.com/aFgTw0gzsb— Pradeep Bhandari( ) (@pradip103) September 10, 2026

He added that the BJP would stand for Bengal’s interests, traditions and “what is right for Bengal”.PROTESTS OVER SHASTRI REMARKS

The controversy over Shastri’s comments has also spilled onto the streets, with protests reported in parts of West Bengal.

Earlier, Adhikari had directed the Kolkata Police commissioner to take action against people who allegedly burnt photographs of Shastri during protests.

The dispute has thus moved beyond a question of diet, becoming part of a larger argument over who gets to define religious practices in Bengal — and how far those traditions should be interpreted through a broader, pan-Hindu lens.

Adhikari’s fish bhog at Kalighat, meanwhile, offered a distinctly Bengali answer to the debate: a traditional temple offering being consumed as part of worship, even as political arguments over what constitutes an appropriate Hindu diet continue to simmer.- EndsPublished By: Ritaban MisraPublished On: Sep 11, 2026 14:26 IST