The Kolkata Police on Friday, 11 September, arrested Congress leader Atanu Das for his role in a demonstration held outside the Bhawanipore police station on 8 September in which photographs of Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, popularly known as Baba Bageshwar, were burned, trampled and insulted, the force said.
Police say protest endangered communal harmony
In an official statement, the city police said the protesters "burnt, trampled upon, and slapped with shoes" posters bearing the image of Mr. Shastri. The action, it added, "amounted to an insult to the religious sentiments of a particular community and posed a threat to public order with the potential to incite social disharmony".
"We strongly protest and condemn this incident of arrest. We want to ask, why was that so-called Baba Bageshwar, who made derogatory remarks about Bengalis, who insulted Bengali culture and heritage, not arrested?" — Subhankar Sarkar, West Bengal Congress president
The arrest late on Friday followed comments in the State Assembly by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, who, according to reports, instructed the police to detain those who had taken part in protests against the preacher. In the House the Chief Minister is reported to have defended Mr. Shastri, describing his remarks about dietary conduct during puja as merely prescriptive.
Those named and the charges
Besides Mr. Das, the police have registered cases against Ashutosh Chatterjee, general secretary of the party, and Pradip Prasad, president of the South Kolkata district Congress committee. The complaints relate to actions the police say hurt religious sentiment and threatened public order.
| Person | Role | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Atanu Das | Congress leader | Arrested for participation in the Bhawanipore protest |
| Ashutosh Chatterjee | Congress general secretary | Booked in connection with the protest |
| Pradip Prasad | South Kolkata district Congress president | Booked in connection with the protest |
Background: remarks that sparked protests
The episode follows comments attributed to Dhirendra Krishna Shastri in which he advised Hindus in Bengal to refrain from selling non-vegetarian food items close to Durga idols during puja rituals. The remarks provoked strong reactions across the State. Many residents and political actors said outsiders should not dictate local dietary customs, pointing out that serving and consuming non-vegetarian food during Durga Puja is a long-standing tradition in many Bengali households.
West Bengal Congress president Subhankar Sarkar denounced the arrest, calling it repressive and questioning why Mr. Shastri himself had not been detained for the remarks he made about Bengalis. His statement framed the police action as politically motivated and urged scrutiny of differential responses to speech that offends community sensibilities.
Political and civic implications ahead of puja season
The arrest has amplified tensions between the State government and the Congress, adding another flashpoint to West Bengal's charged political climate as Durga Puja approaches — a period when communal sensitivities and public order become especially salient in urban neighbourhoods such as Bhawanipore.
- Timing: Protest on 8 September; arrests and bookings reported on 11 September.
- Authorities' position: Police say protesters' conduct risked communal harmony and public order.
- Opposition response: Congress leaders call the arrest repression and question selective enforcement.
The state administration's insistence on preserving public order during festivals is likely to shape how similar protests are handled in the coming days. Kolkata's civic life, especially in Old City and central neighbourhoods that host major puja pandals, often requires delicate management of competing religious sentiments, political protests and civic freedoms.
No additional details about court appearance dates or specific sections of law invoked in the FIRs were made public at the time of the police release. The matter remains a live political issue, with party offices and civic groups watching developments closely as preparations for Durga Puja advance across the State.
