Indian cricket board President Sourav Ganguly on Friday hosted Union Home Minister Amit Shah for dinner at his ancestral home in South Kolkata’s Behala.
The visit is said to be a courtesy call since the Union Minister’s son, Jay Shah, is the former cricketer’s colleague, serving as Honorary Secretary in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
Shah, who is on a two-day Bengal tour, arrived at Ganguly’s home in a white SUV surrounded by bodyguards.
A crowd had gathered on the narrow road outside to see Amit Shah, who sat in the front seat and greeted the people with a namaste gesture.
Later, Shah was seen at the dining table with Ganguly and his family members having dinner.
According to reports, the dinner may contain vegetarian dishes.
Earlier, confirming Shah’s visit to his home, Ganguly, 49, told reporters nothing political should be read into the dinner meeting.
“Yes we have known each other (Amit Shah) since 2008 but meeting him was rare because most of the time I had been out of the country for my cricket game,” the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president told a private TV channel.
“I work with his son. It is an old association,” he added.
On what is on the menu, Ganguly smiled and replied, “…Will go home and see. He is a vegetarian.”
Reacting to the media report on the same, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, when asked, said on Thursday that anyone can visit Sourav Ganguly’s house.
She also suggested that Sourav Ganguly should also treat the visiting dignitary with Rossogolla and Dai (sweet curd) which is a very popular and famous sweet dish of Bengal.
“Yes Didi suggested the right thing because she is Bengali,” Ganguly said.