Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers clashed outside Bhowanipur Police Station in Kolkata on Sunday, 13 September, after two Congress leaders were summoned in connection with the burning of photos of religious figure Dhirendra Shastri. The confrontation is the latest flashpoint in an escalating controversy over Shastri's remarks targeting the food habits of Bengalis during Durga Puja.

What triggered the clash

Congress leaders Ashutosh Chatterjee and Pradeep Prasad were called to the police station over an earlier protest in which Congress workers and supporters burned photographs of Dhirendra Shastri. As the two leaders arrived, their supporters gathered outside and began demonstrating against what they described as police high-handedness. BJP supporters arrived shortly after, raising their voice in defence of the religious guru, and an argument between the two groups escalated into a physical scuffle.

A local BJP leader said, 'They have insulted Bengalis before. Our Chief Minister has explained by eating fish that Puja has nothing to do with eating non-vegetarian food. Still, they insulted the religious guru.' Chatterjee dismissed the police action as politically motivated, saying, 'This is a complete conspiracy. Remember, he insulted Bengalis by coming to Bengal. We will show you on the road how to protest against this.'

The Dhirendra Shastri remarks

The controversy stems from comments made by Dhirendra Shastri, a widely followed religious figure, in which he reportedly stated that non-vegetarian food should be kept away from Durga Puja mandaps and during Navratri. He reportedly also said that those who consume non-vegetarian food during the puja are not religious, and used phrases such as 'ganda ganda cooking' and 'pakhandi' — remarks that drew sharp criticism across West Bengal.

The West Bengal Pradesh Congress lodged a written complaint against Shastri at Bhowanipur Police Station earlier in the week, accusing him of making remarks prejudicial to the cultural identity of Bengalis. This is a state where fish-eating is deeply embedded in cultural and religious tradition, including during Durga Puja festivities.

Arrests and political fallout

Following the photo-burning protest, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari warned that legal action would be taken against those who burned Shastri's photograph. Subsequently, a Congress worker named Atanu Das was arrested. The summoning of Chatterjee and Prasad on Sunday added further fuel to the standoff between the two parties.

Notably, Pradeep Prasad had been removed as the South Kolkata District Congress president on Saturday night following a reshuffle in the West Bengal Pradesh Congress — a development that had already unsettled a section of the party ahead of the police summons.

Broader context

The incident reflects a deepening political contest over religious and cultural identity in West Bengal, a state where the BJP and Congress are locked in competition for space against the ruling All India Trinamool Congress (TMC). Critics argue that the BJP's intervention outside the police station is aimed at consolidating a Hindu voter base, while Congress alleges it is being targeted through law enforcement. The controversy also places the police — operating under the state government — in an awkward position, with both sides accusing it of bias.

As tensions persist, further legal and political developments are expected in the coming days, with both parties signalling they will not back down from the street-level confrontation.