India, Sept. 7 -- West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Samik Bhattacharya on Monday reacted to Madhya Pradesh-based religious leader Bageshwar Baba's appeal for state residents to become vegetarians during Durga Puja.

"How can Bengalis not have fish and meat? Even Swami Vivekananda said Ma Kali will have mutton (as an offering). It is dangerous if someone tries to rise above Vivekananda. This is his personal opinion," Bhattacharya said, without naming the 30-year-old Dhirendra Krishna Garg, the chief priest of Bageshwar Dham and popularly called Bageshwar Baba.

The religious leader was in West Bengal to attend a three-day Hanumant Katha at Liluah in Howrah district. On Saturday, chief minister Suvendu Adhikari hosted a din...