West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh courted controversy on Tuesday when he said intellectuals who consume beef and 'demean' cows should also eat dog meat.

His remark drew sharp reactions from senior Trinamu Congress leader Subrata Mukherjee, who said 'people of Bengal would be the best judge of such insane statements'.

Ghosh, a Lok Sabha MP from Bengal, also said that 'any meat' should be eaten at home, not on roads.

Insisting that cow milk contains gold, the state BJP chief said people take pride in cleaning excreta of foreign pet dogs, but has no reverence for 'our mother'.

'Few intellectuals eat beef on roads, I am asking them to eat dog meat too. Their health will do fine, no matter which animal they eat, but why on roads? Eat at your home,' Ghosh told reporters on the sidelines of a programme in Burdwan.

Demeaning and killing of cows is a crime in India, the parliamentarian claimed.

'The milk of desi cows contains gold. That is why it is golden in colour and also healthy. There are some intellectuals who find it humiliating to worship cow as mother but take pride in cleaning excreta of foreign dogs,' he said.

Anyone who misbehaves with 'my mother' will be treated the way they should be, Ghosh warned.

'Indian cow is a special breed which has gold in their milk. Foreign breeds such as jersey cows don't have gold in their milk. Also, their milk is not as healthy,' he insisted.

Mukherjee, who is also the state panchayat minister, said it was best for him not to react to Ghosh's remarks.

'What can we say about such statements? The people of Bengal will be the best judge of such insane statements,' he added.