Story perspectives

Congress files FIRs over Shastri’s Durga Puja remarks

By Drooid · Sep 13, 2026, 10:13 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

CM Suvendu Adhikari defended eating fish and meat during Durga Puja as a constitutional right on September 12, 2026.
Dhirendra Krishna Shastri urged a ban on non-vegetarian food near Durga Puja idols during a sermon on September 5–6, 2026.
Congress filed FIRs at Bhawanipur and Muchipara stations on September 8, 2026, alleging Shastri’s remarks incited communal tension.
Adhikari ordered police to arrest individuals who burned Shastri’s photographs following the controversy.

History

Historical Context

The 1992 demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya sparked nationwide communal unrest and legal battles that reshaped India's political landscape. Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's coalition government faced 2,000 deaths and 3 million displaced persons, prompting the Supreme Court to intervene. Today, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari defends meat at Durga Puja while preacher Dhirendra Krishna Shastri urges bans, echoing the 1992 clash over religious practices. The recurrence suggests that legal challenges and communal policing will intensify, prompting courts to revisit constitutional protections for dietary freedoms.

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Story summary

CM Suvendu Adhikari defended eating fish and meat during Durga Puja as a constitutional right on September 12, 2026.
Dhirendra Krishna Shastri urged a ban on non-vegetarian food near Durga Puja idols during a sermon on September 5–6, 2026.
Congress filed FIRs at Bhawanipur and Muchipara stations on September 8, 2026, alleging Shastri’s remarks incited communal tension.
Adhikari ordered police to arrest individuals who burned Shastri’s photographs following the controversy.

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