The New Indian Express ·
‘Bengalis will eat what they traditionally eat’: Samik Bhattacharya rejects calls to avoid non-veg
KOLKATA: West Bengal BJP president and Rajya Sabha MP Samik Bhattacharya on Monday made it clear that Bengalis’ traditional dietary and cultural habits cannot be changed with proposals made by any sadhu or monk from outside.
Rubbishing the calls of the self-styled seer Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, who is the head of Bageshwar Dham temple in Madhya Pradesh, and Hindu religious organisations, the Bengal BJP chief said, “Aamake aamar moto thakte dao. Bangali jaa khachchhe, tai khabe. Bangali machh khabe na? Mangsho khabe na? Swami Vivekananda bole gechhen, tnar opor aabar ke achhe? Maa Kali ekhane pantha khabe. Let me live as I wish. Bengalis will eat whatever they eat traditionally. Won’t Bengalis eat fish? Won’t they eat meat? Swami Vivekananda has also called for non-vegetarian food. Who else is there above him?”
While speaking to reporters in Kolkata today, Samik reacted to Dhirendra Shastri’s call for Hindus to eat vegetarian food, avoiding non-vegetarian food items during the Durga Puja festival and at pandals.
