Dhirendra Krishna Shastri’s appeal to keep non-vegetarian food away from Durga Puja pandals in Bengal has sparked social-media comparisons with Satyajit Ray’s 1965 film Mahapurush and its self-proclaimed godman Birinchi Baba. Shastri made the appeal during a Kolkata visit, reigniting controversy surrounding an apparent Vishwa Hindu Parishad advisory issued on August 26. The VHP later clarified it was not seeking to enforce vegetarianism. The debate intensified after Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari shared a stage with Shastri and invited him to establish a centre in the state. Critics online invoked Birinchi Baba’s fictional claims while defending Bengal’s food traditions, particularly the cultural significance of fish and meat within many Bengali Shakta traditions during Durga Puja celebrations. (PC: The Telegraph)

Sheetal Devi, born without arms in Loidhar village in Jammu and Kashmir, was diagnosed with phocomelia and had never seen a bow until around age 15. After a prosthetic arm failed, she chose archery in 2021 following an assessment that found strong upper-body strength. Within 11 months, she won two golds and a silver at the 2022 Asian Para Games, rising to world No. 1 in the women’s compound open category. She won World Championship silver in 2023, Paralympic bronze at Paris 2024, and World Championship gold in 2025, becoming the first female armless archer to win the title. World Archery named her Para Archer of the Year 2025 in 2025.  

West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya rejected preacher Dhirendra Shastri’s appeal for Bengalis to avoid non-vegetarian food during Durga Puja. Shastri, known as Bageshwar Baba, urged people to abstain from meat and called those continuing their regular diet heretics. Bhattacharya defended Bengal’s longstanding culinary and religious traditions, citing goat meat offerings to Goddess Kali and customary dishes such as luchi on Ashtami and goat meat on Navami. He said individuals may offer personal dietary advice, but such views cannot be imposed as societal rules. Bhattacharya also invoked Swami Vivekananda’s legacy and said Shastri’s remarks were not the BJP’s stance. The state BJP unit, he said, does not support a blanket vegetarian mandate.

Cockroach Janta Party leader Saurav Das criticised the Delhi government after the Satya Niketan building collapse that killed seven people, including five students. He demanded an independent criminal probe into the building owner and the alleged PG mafia. Das also called for structural safety audits of schools, colleges and student housing. He asked the government to publish records of 13 district committees formed after the Hauz Rani incident. He demanded a public database showing whether student accommodations are safe and legal. Das also sought new student hostels, ₹1 crore compensation for each victim’s family and ₹20 lakh for injured people.  

Pakistan captain Fatima Sana has been fined 10% of her match fee for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct during the Women’s Asia Cup match against India. The incident happened after Sana dismissed India opener Shafali Verma. Sana made a gesture towards the pavilion after the dismissal. The ICC said the action could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter. Sana admitted the offence and accepted the punishment. She also received one demerit point. This takes her total to two points in 24 months. Sana had received her first demerit point during a T20I match against Ireland in August 2025.  

A Jeddah-bound Malaysia Airlines flight with 186 passengers was diverted to Chennai on Monday after an engine problem was detected during the flight. Flight MH156 was flying from Kuala Lumpur to Jeddah when an issue developed in its No. 2 engine. The pilot contacted Chennai air traffic control and requested an emergency landing. Airport officials declared a full emergency and deployed fire tenders, ambulances and CISF personnel. The aircraft landed safely and all passengers were evacuated. Their baggage was also removed. No injuries were reported. Airline and technical teams are investigating the problem. Airport operations continued normally after the incident. (PC: Reuters)  

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced new rules for this year’s Durga Puja celebrations. All liquor shops and bars across the state will remain closed on Maha Ashtami. DJ music will also be banned during Puja celebrations and immersion processions. Adhikari said the measures aim to keep the festivities peaceful. He also asked Puja committees to choose their themes carefully. He said idols, pandals and themes should not hurt religious sentiments or disrespect Sanatan traditions. However, theme-based pandals will still be allowed. The announcement was made during a coordination meeting with Durga Puja committees in Kolkata on Monday.  

The 72nd National Film Awards are likely to be held in Gujarat this year. The ceremony may take place in Ekta Nagar, near the Statue of Unity. This would be the first time the prestigious awards ceremony is held outside New Delhi. President Droupadi Murmu is expected to present the awards during her Gujarat visit later this month. The awards were announced in July. 'Article 370' won Best Feature Film, while Yami Gautam was named Best Actress. Mammootty and Kartik Aaryan shared the Best Actor award. The move marks a major change from the ceremony’s long-held tradition in the national capital.  

An Indian engineer from Noida has been detained by Russian police in Moscow, with his wife alleging that he was pressured to join the Russian military to fight in Ukraine. Indian government sources said the Indian Embassy in Moscow is in contact with Russian authorities and has sought his release and consular access. The engineer, identified as Chandan Gupta, was reportedly detained along with a friend on September 5 over allegations of drunkenness and damaging public property near Moscow’s Red Square. His wife, Sneha Gupta, appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for help. The military recruitment allegation has not been independently confirmed. (PC: NDTV)

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has issued guidelines for Durga Puja organisers in Bengal, covering who can participate, the appearance of idols, food and religious practices. The recommendations have sparked criticism and concern among organisers and others who say Durga Puja is known for its inclusive and creative character. The guidelines reportedly call for excluding non-Hindus from certain roles and discouraging non-vegetarian food at puja venues. The issue has added to an ongoing debate in West Bengal over religion, culture and the character of the festival. Durga Puja is one of Bengal’s biggest cultural celebrations, drawing millions of people each year. (PC: X)