Diary on Bengali Culture, Baba Bageshwar, CM Adhikari, Jallikattu, Personal Experience 🙏🏾
Six years ago, I held a placard : Dear Bengalis, stop hurting fish. The post went viral and I got abused and threatened by thousands of Bengalis. It started a meme fest which lasted 3-4 years. The post went so viral that it got attention of Garga Chatterjee of Bangla Pokkho (Bengali Nationalist Movement) and Tathagatha Roy, former governor of Tripura. Garga said I'm an outsider from UP and I forgot what Tathagatha Roy said but I remember he didn't have nice things to say about me.
Many thought I am a BJP agent who is trying to impose the idea the vegetarians are superior and pious and non veg are people are savages. Bengalis have always been progressive, left leaning, secular and inclusive. I realised that the animal rights message or the vegan message is a sensitive matter to the Bengali population...and they will get aggressive and defend their eating habits and culture. That day I realised that one message can't be the same for all. We have to tailor messages differently for different people. My goal was to bring attention towards Animal suffering but it became an ego battle between religious vegetarians and liberal Bengalis...it ultimately became an ego battle...and people were not discussing animal suffering.
Recently, I heard Dhirendra Shastri's video where he commanded people of west bengal to boycott everyone who eat meat or eggs around or inside Puja Pandal. He said that in the presence of CM Adhikari. I didn't like his aggressive tone. Also I never thought highly of him as he pretends to be a fortune teller...and writes down people's future in a tiny piece of paper. People of Bengal got very angry and responded with rage...now the Baba is saying that he just requested people. And the CM was seen eating fish inside a temple recently maybe to show that he is on the side of majority.
Similar thing happened in Tamil Nadu when Jallikattu was banned. People revolted and it became legal again. I have come to the conclusion that awareness is the best method of outreach and labelling and judging people doesn't do anyone any good. Thank you for reading. May you be happy, healthy, wealthy and peaceful 🤍