NEW DELHI: Days after West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said that the Bharatiya Janata Party would restrict Bengali food habits, including fish and meat, if it comes to power, the Trinamool Congress on Thursday sharpened its attack against Union home minister Amit Shah ahead of his 15-day visit to the poll-bound state.In a social media post on X, the TMC said that Bengal welcomes tourists with open arms and recommended non-vegetarian delicacies of West Bengal for him to try.“Amit Shah has announced his decision to spend 15 days in Bengal. Good. Bengal welcomes tourists with open arms. Stay for as long as you like. And do not miss out on some of our finest delicacies,” the party said. “We highly recommend: Muri Ghonto, Pabda Macher Jhal, Ilish Bhapa, Chingri Malai Curry, Bhetki Paturi, Kosha Mangsho. Have a pleasant stay!” it added.This comes in line with the TMC’s campaign pitch, which presents the BJP as out of touch with Bengal’s cultural traditions. The controversy began after senior TMC leaders, including Mamata Banerjee, criticised what they described as a BJP-backed move against non-vegetarian food habits. The remarks were linked to a recent order by the government of Bihar regulating the open sale of meat. Addressing a rally, Banerjee had said, “I came across a report about the Bihar deputy chief minister asserting that fish and meat cannot be sold in the open market. This is anti-people and condemnable. Can everyone sell meat and fish in shopping malls? What will happen to the majority of fish and meat sellers on the road? What about their livelihood? Such politics is deplorable.”“If the BJP comes to power, they would ban meat and fish in Bengal. I saw Bihar’s Deputy CM say that fish and meat can’t be sold in open markets. Only those who have a licence can sell meat indoors. So, will everyone sell meat and fish in shopping malls? Only a few have the economic strength to do so. Most fish sellers sell fresh fish on the streets here. This is how they earn their bread. I condemn this politics,” she further alleged.Meanwhile, West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya asserted that people in Bengal are free to consume the food of their choice and clarified that the party is only opposed to the open sale of beef.Responding to the allegations, Bhattacharya said, “People in Bengal will eat whatever they want. Bengal will have its fish and meat,” rejecting claims by the TMC of a proposed ban on fish and meat sales in the open in the neighbouring state.Elaborating on the Bihar directive, he added that the BJP had not proposed any blanket restriction. “They can never utter such a thing. Why should they? No one will accept it. The TMC is twisting the comments,” he said.The elections for 294 seats in West Bengal will be held in two phases—April 23 (152 constituencies) and April 29 (142)—with results scheduled for May 4, in what is expected to be a closely watched contest between the TMC and the BJP.
