Dilip Ghosh says eating meat during Durga Puja is not controversial

West Bengal Minister Dilip Ghosh defended the state’s tradition of eating non-vegetarian food during Durga Puja, saying people should be free to choose their food. His remarks came amid controversy over Dhirendra Shastri’s appeal to Bengalis to give up meat

Kolkata: West Bengal Minister Dilip Ghosh on Tuesday asserted that eating non-vegetarian food during Durga Puja was not controversial and referred to Bageshwar Dham head priest Dhirendra Shastri’s remarks on meat to say that “saints advocate vegetarian food for good health”.

His remarks came amid a controversy over self-styled godman Dhirendra Shastri, popularly known as Bageshwar Baba, appealing to Bengalis to give up non-vegetarian food during the Durga Puja festivities and describing people who eat meat on religious occasions as “hypocrites”.

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The BJP’s state leadership has sought to distance itself from any comment or move that could be perceived as an attempt to dictate Bengal’s traditional food habits.

Talking to reporters here, Ghosh said, “Bengal has a tradition of goat sacrifice during Durga Puja, and that is consumed as prasad. Eating goat meat here is not a matter of controversy.”

“I don’t eat anything except fish. But whoever wants to eat whatever they want should be allowed to do so,” the panchayats and rural development minister said.

He questioned whether those who went to Bageshwar Baba could say with full conviction that they did not eat fish or meat.

“Saints speak from their own perspective and say that vegetarian food is good for health.”

Referring to Bengal’s religious traditions, he said non-vegetarian food had long been associated with several forms of worship in the state.

“Swami Vivekananda had said that as long as the country exists, Mother Kali will eat goat meat and Shiva will play the damru.”

Ghosh also accused the previous Trinamool Congress government of trying to dictate people’s food choices.

“Trinamool had started saying that this cannot be eaten and that cannot be eaten,” he said, adding that people should be free to make their own choices.

Asked why people in Bengal were being “taught” how to celebrate Durga Puja, Ghosh said the festival’s traditional values had been diluted over the years.

“There is hardly any Durga Puja left in Bengal; that is why people are saying this. We also want to see it as Durga Puja. Everything has been spoiled in the name of themes and other things. Bengalis have forgotten their own culture,” he said.

Ghosh also criticised the use of government funds for community pujas, saying the festival should primarily be organised by society.

“If there is a desire to organise puja with government money, then there is no need to organise the puja. Society will organise the puja. Those in government thought they would take control of the puja, just as the CPI(M) had done earlier,” he said.

He said Durga Puja had evolved from celebrations organised by kings and zamindars into community festivals and questioned the need for the government to play a role in them.

“There is no shortage of money among the people of the country. There is goodwill, but politicians create problems. Keep rumours away from politics and also keep government money away from it,” the minister said.

He, however, said the government could extend assistance to puja committees in villages that genuinely lacked resources.

On a controversy surrounding an “11-handed” Durga idol at a government event following a row over a state tourism video that did not feature any West Bengal landmark, Ghosh said officials of the department concerned should remain alert.

“I don’t know who is doing this. Perhaps they are doing it as part of some old tradition. The department minister and officials should remain alert. The habit of causing chaos that existed during the previous government remains with many people,” he said.

Incidentally, on Monday, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari apologised for a government advertisement carrying an image of Goddess Durga with 11 arms instead of the traditional 10, seeking to put an end to the controversy.