Bengal Congress files police complaint against religious seer over controversial statement on Bengali food choices

Kolkata: The West Bengal Congress on Tuesday lodged a written complaint against a nationally popular religious saint following his controversial statement that non-vegetarian food should be kept away from Durga puja mandaps and during Navratri in the state.

The complaint was filed at Bhowanipur Police Station in south Kolkata against the religious saint for his comments on the eating habits of Bengalis and for using several controversial words including 'ganda ganda cooking' and 'pakhandi'.

Congress' South Kolkata district President Pradeep Prasad filed the complaint, demanding an immediate FIR against the saint and taking necessary legal action after investigation.

Congress' Central Kolkata district President Manas Sarkar has also filed a complaint with the Kolkata Police through an email on the same demand.

In the complaint, the Congress has claimed that the saint recently made some comments in the presence of important personalities, officials and public representatives at an event organised in Howrah district's Liluah, which hurt the sentiments of the people of West Bengal.

There has been strong objection to the saint's statement on what Bengalis should and should not eat during Durga Puja.

Pradeep Prasad said, "Durga Puja is one of the most important and prestigious festivals of West Bengal. Bengalis have a long-standing social, cultural and food culture around this festival. If outsiders make prescriptive or derogatory comments about Bengali food habits in that context, it can have a negative impact on social harmony. He used words like 'Ganda Ganda Cooking' and 'Pakhandi' in his speech. Such comments are tantamount to disrespecting the cultural identity of the people of Bengal and the emotions associated with Durga Puja."

It has been alleged that the saint's statement not only on food habits but also on Bengali identity contains hints of division.

The complaint claims that statements like dividing the people of Bengal on the basis of language and identity can be harmful to social harmony.

The Congress said that any attempt to create a division between Bengali speakers and Bengali identity is not desirable.

Congress' Central Kolkata District President Manas Sarkar said, "It is not acceptable for any individual or organisation to try to determine the personal eating habits of Bengalis around a public festival like Durga Puja. It is necessary to show respect for Bengal's own culture, tradition and social diversity."

West Bengal BJP President Samik Bhattacharya on Monday made it clear that what one eats or wears is a personal choice and such a choice must remain personal.

Speaking to media persons on the sidelines of an event, Bhattacharya said that no one has the right to decide what one should eat.

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