New Delhi, August 29: Alok Kumar, the president of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), has announced that no guidelines have been issued for Durga Puja celebrations in West Bengal. He emphasized that the VHP does not possess the authority to issue any directives or guidelines.
In a statement to a news agency, Kumar said, “We have not provided any guidelines. The VHP has not released any instructions regarding the setup of pandals for Durga Puja. We understand that we do not have the right to issue such directives.”
He mentioned that prior to major festivals, the VHP conducts meetings in various locations across the country. In Delhi, for instance, meetings with Ramleela committees are held two months before the annual Ramleela event. This year, a meeting was also conducted with those setting up pandals for Durga Puja in West Bengal to discuss what should be done and how.
Kumar stated, “We believe that the worship of the goddess should be conducted in a traditional manner, following classical methods, and that the atmosphere within the pandals should be one of devotion, love, and joy. Discussions were held on this matter, and individuals can choose what they feel is appropriate. The topic of vegetarian and non-vegetarian food was not addressed in the meeting.”
He further explained that during a press conference following the meeting, a journalist inquired about food options. In response, a swami suggested that cleanliness and purity should be maintained at food stalls within the pandals. Kumar clarified that this was merely a response to a question and that the topic had not been discussed in the meeting.
Kumar explicitly stated that no decisions regarding vegetarian or non-vegetarian food have been made, nor have any guidelines been issued on this matter. He added that there was no opinion expressed regarding food during the discussions; the swami’s response was based solely on the question posed during the press conference. Therefore, creating a narrative around this issue is not appropriate.
The VHP president concluded by expressing the desire for cleanliness, tradition, and cultural adherence within the pandals. He suggested that people should carry good values and proposed that on one day, the national song “Vande Mataram” be sung in its entirety, along with the worship of Bharat Mata.
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