‘Assault’ incident in Sitai: CM assures her support to monk

Cooch Behar: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee personally inquired about the recent incident of alleged assault on Swami Vigyanand Maharaj of Sitai Ramakrishna Vivekananda Seva Ashram. On Wednesday, the Chief Minister spoke with the Maharaj over the phone, assuring him of her support. The conversation was arranged by North Bengal Development minister Udayan Guha, who visited the ashram to offer assistance.

The incident in question occurred on Sunday night when BJP Rajya Sabha MP Anant Maharaj was accused of verbally abusing and physically assaulting Swami Vigyanand Maharaj. In response, local residents blocked roads and staged protests that night. Anant Maharaj, however, denied the allegations, calling them baseless.

Udayan Guha visited the ashram the day after the incident to meet Swami Vigyanand Maharaj. During his second visit on Wednesday, he facilitated a phone conversation between the Swami and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

During this conversation, Chief Minister Banerjee expressed her concern, stating: “I learned about the incident on the day it occurred and immediately instructed Udayan Guha to meet you. Whenever I am able to visit, I will definitely meet with you in person.” She also assured the Maharaj that there was no need to worry.