Kolkata, Sep 13 (PTI) West Bengal Congress general secretary Ashutosh Chatterjee appeared before police on Sunday after being summoned over the alleged burning of a photo of Bageshwar Dham head priest Dhirendra Krishna Shastri during a protest against his remarks on eating non-vegetarian food during Durga Puja.
The case relates to a September 8 demonstration outside the Bhawanipur police station in south Kolkata over remarks made by Shastri about Bengalis, Bengal’s culture and food practices during Durga Puja.
During the protest, a photograph of Shastri was allegedly trampled upon, struck with footwear and burnt, police said. South Kolkata district Congress general secretary Atanu Das was arrested, while Chatterjee and South Kolkata district Congress chief Pradip Prasad have been named as accused in the case.
Earlier in the day, Chatterjee said a notice from the Bhawanipur police station was served on him around 10 am, directing him to appear before the investigating officer in the case at 3 pm.
Exiting the police station in the afternoon, he termed the police action “vendetta politics”.
“Police are acting at the behest of Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, harassing those who are protesting the comments of self-styled godmen like Bagesahwar Baba who want to force Bengalis to shun non-veg food, their traditional diet, lifestyle and customs,” the Congress leader said.
Expressing his full faith in the judiciary, Chatterjee said that he would follow the law.
While he was coming out of the police station, Congress and the BJP’s youth wing activists came face to face shouting slogans.
While Bhartiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) activists accused the Congress of not taking up issues such as atrocities against Hindus, the Congress members accused the ruling party of aiding self-styled godmen who hurt the sentiments of Bengali Hindus.
The police action came after CM Adhikari, on September 10, directed police to arrest those involved in burning Shastri’s photograph, asserting that such activities would not be tolerated.
Chatterjee said the Congress would not bow before anyone who demeaned Bengalis or Bengal’s traditions. He also questioned why no action had been taken against Shastri over the remarks that triggered the controversy.
At a programme in Howrah on September 5, Shastri appealed to Bengalis to give up non-vegetarian food during Durga Puja and described people who eat meat on religious occasions as “hypocrites”.
The Congress had earlier lodged a complaint at the Bhawanipur police station, seeking action against Shastri. PTI SUS NSD
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