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Sanyal, who hails from West Bengal, said meat is traditionally offered to Goddess Durga and Goddess Kali as part of ancient rituals, with devotees consuming the prasad on Navami.
Sanyal’s remark came after an appeal by Shastri, popularly known as Bageshwar Baba, against consumption of non-vegetarian food during Durga Puja and termed those who eat such food during the festival as heretics.(File photo)
After self-styled godman Dhirendra Shastri’s call to avoid non-vegetarian during Durga Puja in West Bengal, Prime Minister’s Economic Advisor Sanjeev Sanyal said “meat is core to Shakta Hinduism.”
In a post on X, Sanyal, who hails from West Bengal, said meat is traditionally offered to Goddess Durga and Goddess Kali as part of ancient rituals, with devotees consuming the prasad on Navami.
“Meat is core to Shakta Hinduism. It is offered to Ma Durga and Ma Kali as part of the ancient rituals. The Prasad eaten by the devotees on Navami/Dasami at Durga Puja is meat. Any interference in this sacred ritual will not be tolerated,” Sanyal wrote.
Meat is core to Shakta Hinduism. It is offered to Ma Durga and Ma Kali as part of the ancient rituals. The Prasad eaten by the devotees on Navami/Dasami at Durga Puja is meat. Any interference in this sacred ritual will not be tolerated.— Sanjeev Sanyal (@sanjeevsanyal) September 7, 2026
Sanyal’s remark came after an appeal by Shastri, popularly known as Bageshwar Baba, against consumption of non-vegetarian food during Durga Puja and termed those who eat such food during the festival as heretics.
Meanwhile, West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya rejected Shastri’s appeal to Bengalis to give up non-vegetarian food during Durga Puja festivities, asserting that no visiting religious figure can prescribe what people in the state should eat or wear.
He said Bengali food habits and traditions cannot be changed at the behest of an outsider.
“Let me live the way I want to. Bengalis will eat what they have been eating. Can Bengalis not eat fish and meat? Swami Vivekananda has said it. Who is above him?” Bhattacharya said.
“Here, goat meat is offered as an offering to Maa Kali,” he added.
The BJP state president said eating ‘luchi’ (puris) on Ashtami and goat meat on Navami has been part of Bengal’s long-standing cultural tradition and there is no question of asking people to abandon it.
“We generally eat ‘luchi’ on Ashtami and goat meat on Navami. We will continue to do that. Nobody can tell the people of West Bengal what they should eat,” he said.
Shastri’s remarks are likely to resonate in a state where fish and meat form an integral part of the traditional Bengali diet and where Durga Puja itself has historically been marked by diverse customs across communities and regions.
About the Author
Saurabh Verma is a Chief Sub-Editor at News18.com, specializing in Indian politics, national current affairs, and breaking global news. With years of experience tracking power shifts, election strateg…Read More
September 07, 2026, 18:03 IST
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