Dhirendra Krishna Shastri urges Durga Puja meat ban, Sanyal rebuts

Bageshwar Dham chief Dhirendra Krishna Shastri kicked off controversy by urging people to skip nonvegetarian food during Durga Puja , calling it "impious." He also appealed for a ban on the sale of non-vegetarian food near Durga idols and said meat and liquor shops in West Bengal should remain closed during Durga Puja . PM Narendra Modi's economic advisor Sanjeev Sanyal pushed back on X, saying meat is actually central to Shakta Hindu rituals: it's offered to Ma Durga and Ma Kali , and even served as prasad on festival days.