Barely a day after being sworn in, several BJP legislators in West Bengal swapped political speeches for steaming plates of fish curry and rice, launching what party leaders described as a cultural outreach aimed at countering accusations that the BJP is hostile to Bengal’s food habits and identity.
Across parts of Kolkata on Sunday, BJP MLAs including Dilip Ghosh, Agnimitra Paul and Tapas Roy hosted elaborate “fish festivals”, where party workers and local residents gathered for what was unmistakably a traditional Bengali Sunday lunch — plates piled with rice, fish curry and multiple varieties of fish preparations.
