Full Breakdown
West Bengal Congress Leaders Summoned and Arrested Over Burning of Bageshwar Baba’s Photo
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Core Event: Police Action Against Congress Protestors
On September 13, 2026, West Bengal Congress general secretary Ashutosh Chatterjee said he was served a notice by the Bhawanipur police station and required to appear before an investigating officer at 3 p.m. that day. The summons relates to a September 8 demonstration outside the station in south Kolkata during which a photograph of Dhirendra Krishna Shastri—known as Bageshwar Baba—was allegedly trampled and burnt. Police subsequently arrested South Kolkata district Congress general secretary Atanu Das and named Pradip Prasad, South Kolkata district Congress president, as accused.
Background & Context: Bageshwar Baba’s Durga Puja Remarks
At a programme in Howrah’s Liluah on September 5, Shastri urged Bengalis to avoid fish and meat during Durga Puja, calling non-vegetarian food “dirty” and labeling those who ate it “hypocrites.” The comments triggered a backlash, with many viewing them as an affront to Bengali culinary traditions integral to the festival.
Timeline
- September 4 – Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari met Shastri and hosted a dinner with his cabinet.
- September 5 – Shastri delivered the “non-veg” appeal.
- September 8 – Congress workers protested outside Bhawanipur police station; photographs of Shastri were reportedly burnt.
- September 10 – CM Adhikari directed Kolkata police to arrest anyone involved in burning the photographs.
- September 13 – Ashutosh Chatterjee was summoned; Atanu Das had already been arrested.
Data & Statistics
- Arrests: One Congress leader, Atanu Das, was taken into custody on the night of September 8.
- Accused: Three Congress officials—Ashutosh Chatterjee, Pradip Prasad and Atanu Das—have been named in the police case.
Official Statements & Responses
- Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said the burning of any photograph would not be tolerated and instructed the police commissioner to arrest those responsible, framing the protest as an attempt to impose personal religious views.
- Congress leadership argued the protest was a legitimate response to Shastri’s remarks and filed a complaint seeking action against him, condemning the police move as selective enforcement.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The first thing is that it is not about food, vegetarian or non-vegetarian. It is about a person who has insulted Bengali culture, heritage, and Durga Puja in its own land. We are very straight on one thing: those who stay in West Bengal are all Bengalis, be it Chatterjee, Banerjee, Bose, Das, Jain, Agarwal, or anybody else. This is a state of brotherhood and Durga Puja is for everyone,” — Ashutosh Chatterjee
- “How can the chief minister of a state talk about arrest in the Assembly and within hours our leader is picked up from his home? There are laws,” — Subhankar Sarkar, state congress president
- “A saint had recently visited our state and spoke in his own way about the ideals of patriotism, nationalism, united nationhood and this country's tradition and culture.” — CM Adhikari
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Congress leaders claim a formal FIR copy has not been provided even after 48 hours, while police statements focus on the arrests and summons. The discrepancy between the party’s demand for an FIR and the lack of a publicly confirmed filing remains unresolved.