---
title: "Suvendu Adhikari Eats Fish Prasad at Kolkata's Kalighat Temple"
english_title: "Suvendu Adhikari Eats Fish Prasad at Kalighat Temple Amid Food Row"
publisher: "Truevision English News"
canonical_url: "https://english.truevisionnews.com/news/382248/suvendu-adhikari-kalighat-temple-fish-bhog"
published_at: "2026-09-12T05:50:00+05:30"
category: "Big Story"
language: "en"
image: "https://cf.zdn.im/img/truevisionnews.com/0/image-uploads/6aa49ae21d1a7_suvendu-adhikari-kalighat-temple-fish-bhog.jpg"
keywords: ["Suvendu Adhikari", "Kalighat Temple", "Bengal Food Controversy", "Fish Bhog", "Durgapuja", "Bageshwar Baba"]
---

# Suvendu Adhikari Eats Fish Prasad at Kolkata's Kalighat Temple

> **Lead Summary:** KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari ate fish dishes at Kolkata's Kalighat Temple, where he had fried fish and Basanti pulao as part of the temple's traditional offering, or 'bhog'. His visit came amid a controversy over an appeal by Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, popularly known as Bageshwar Baba, calling on Bengalis to avoid non-vegetarian food during the Durga Puja period.

## Article Content

KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari ate fish dishes at Kolkata's Kalighat Temple, where he had fried fish and Basanti pulao as part of the temple's traditional offering, or 'bhog'. His visit came amid a controversy over an appeal by Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, popularly known as Bageshwar Baba, calling on Bengalis to avoid non-vegetarian food during the Durga Puja period.

Adhikari visited the Kalighat Temple and participated in the 'bhog', which included fried fish and Basanti pulao. The development came against the backdrop of protests over Bageshwar Baba's earlier remarks regarding food during the Durga Puja period.

The Bengal BJP responded by saying that the controversy should now end. BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari said the Chief Minister's participation in the 'bhog' was part of respecting Bengal's faith, traditions and way of life.

Earlier, Bageshwar Baba had called for shops selling meat and alcohol in Bengal to remain closed during Durga Puja and had urged Bengalis to avoid non-vegetarian food. His remarks triggered criticism from the Trinamool Congress and the CPI(M), which alleged that the statement amounted to interference in the cultural identity of Bengalis.

The controversy also put the BJP in a defensive position. Eventually, as the dispute intensified, BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya came forward to reject Bageshwar Baba's statement.

> “Outsiders should not decide what Bengalis should eat. Bengalis will eat what they like and what they have traditionally eaten. Can't they eat fish? Can't they eat meat? Swami Vivekananda himself said this; are others above him?” Bhattacharya asked.

He also pointed to the tradition of sacrificing goats during Kali Puja in Bengal. Bhattacharya said eating goat meat on Ashtami and Navami was part of Bengali tradition and would continue. He added that Bageshwar Baba's statement was his personal opinion and that the BJP did not support it.

The remarks by Bageshwar Baba have also been viewed as a setback for the BJP's effort to balance its Hindutva agenda with Bengal's regional cultural traditions. Dhirendra Shastri had recently received a major reception during his visit to Howrah, led by West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.

His subsequent remarks against non-vegetarian food led the Trinamool Congress to question whether the BJP was attempting to remove fish and meat from the diet of Bengalis.

Against this backdrop, Adhikari's participation in the fish-inclusive 'bhog' at Kalighat Temple has added another development to the ongoing debate over food, tradition and cultural identity in Bengal.[Suvendu Adhikari Eats Fish Prasad at Kolkata's Kalighat Temple](https://twitter.com/i/status/2098068195643097569)

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- [Original Story Source](https://english.truevisionnews.com/news/382248/suvendu-adhikari-kalighat-temple-fish-bhog)