The Congress’ West Bengal unit on Tuesday filed police complaints against Dhirendra Shastri, the head of the Bageshwar Dham temple, after he asked Hindus in the state to avoid eating non-vegetarian food during the Durga Puja festival and at pandals in the state, PTI reported.Speaking at an event in Kolkata on Sunday, Shastri said he does not like it when “dirty” non-vegetarian food is eaten during Durga Puja and at gatherings linked to the festivities.In one of the complaints filed against him in Kolkata, the Congress accused Shastri of “hurting the sentiments” of Bengalis and insulting the state’s culture and traditions, The Telegraph reported.Complaints have been filed against Shastri in all districts of West Bengal, PTI quoted unidentified Congress leaders as saying.Seeking the registration of a first information report against Shastri, Pradip Prasad, the Congress’ South Kolkata district unit chief, said that his remarks could spark “disharmony in the society, including division, which is against the democratic and peaceful spirit”, The Telegraph reported.Prasad alleged that Shastri had made “vile” remarks about what people should eat during the festival and described the language he used as being “derogatory and insulting to Bengali culture”, PTI reportedShastri had said on Sunday that those who eat meat during Durga Puja “cannot be considered religious”. Meat must not be sold near the goddess’ idol during the festival, he added.The festival will begin on October 6 and conclude on October 10 this year.Eating meat during Durga Puja is common among Bengali Hindus and animal sacrifice is an important ritual for some in the community.Following Shastri’s remarks, the Opposition Trinamool Congress claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party “wants to snatch fish and meat from the plates of Bengalis”. “For this purpose, raids are being conducted in all restaurants before the puja,” the TMC said on social media.The party said that Bengalis “will not let go” if somebody tries to dictate what they eat or celebrate their festival.BJP leaders in the state have rejected Shastri’s remarks. The party’s West Bengal unit chief Samik Bhattacharya said that “what one eats or wears is a personal choice”.“Bengal’s food culture is diverse, and everyone has the freedom to follow their own preferences,” said Bhattacharya. “Bengalis won’t have fish or mutton? Even Swami Vivekananda approved of it. No saint, leader or anyone else has the right to decide what you should eat.”The row comes after the Vishva Hindu Parishad on August 26 urged Durga Puja organisers in the state to follow “traditional” religious practices, including keeping meat outside the pandals.It clarified that it was not asking for organisers to adopt an exclusively vegetarian approach, but suggested that “non-vegetarian” food stalls be kept in designated areas outside pandals. The organisation warned that it could “intervene” if committees do not comply with its suggestions.The Vishva Hindu Parishad is a part of a group of Hindutva organisations led by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the parent organisation of the BJP.The Durga Puja in Kolkata was added in 2021 to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s representative list of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity.Edited by Sneha.