TMC berates BJP for ‘insulting’ Swami Vivekananda, demands apology

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders, on Sunday, accused the BJP state unit head Sukanta Majumdar of allegedly insulting Swami Vivekananda while remarking that state BJP has lost touch with their Bengali roots.

TMC has also demanded that Union Home minister Amit Shah, who will be visiting Kolkata on Monday, should apologise and clarify whether the BJP endorses Sukanta’s “insulting remarks”.

The BJP had organised a Gita-chant event on Sunday, in the city, at the Brigade Parade Ground. The TMC shared a video clipping of Sukanta where he purportedly commented that Bengal had been a centre for Sanatana Dharma for decades but got derailed in between due to the Communist rule where some persons even said that it is better to play football than read Gita. “Bengal is back on track from today,” he remarked.

However, soon after his comments, TMC leader Shashi Panja said: “Swami Vivekananda had once said that you will be nearer to heaven if you play football than study Gita. Today we saw the BJP state president Sukanta Majumder showing disrespect to Swami Vivekananda’s thoughts and his sayings. He remarked those who spoke of playing football rather than reading the Gita are illiterate. He insulted Swami Vivekananda.”

She added: “BJP has been consistently showing disrespect to icons from Bengal. They are the outsiders and hence alien to Bengal’s culture and harmony. Sukanta must apologise for his comments”.

TMC leaders Chandrima Bhattacharya, Bratya Basu, Partha Bhowmick and Kunal Ghosh too criticised the comments by Sukanta.

TMC wrote on X: “After denigrating Kaviguru Rabindranath Tagore, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar and Rashbehari Bose, @BJP4India now shows the audacity to demean Swami Vivekananda. By dismissing those who value sports like football over religious scriptures as “leftist products” with limited knowledge, @BJP4Bengal StatePresident@DrSukantaBJP has belittled an icon deeply revered by Bengalis and admired globally. By pandering to their masters in Delhi, BJP’s state leadership has truly lost touch with their Bengali roots. This insult will neither be forgiven nor be forgotten!”

Citing instances of BJP’s alleged insult to Bengal icons, TMC further wrote on X: “Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar’s bust was vandalised by BJP miscreants during @AmitShah’s road show. Amit Shah made erroneous claims about Kaviguru Rabindranath Tagore being born in Santiniketan. BJP leaders and party workers raised slogans at an event to mark Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s 125th birth anniversary. Hoardings welcoming @JPNadda was placed right over the name plaque of Rashbehari Bose @DrSukantaBJP ‘s latest insult to Swami Vivekananda epitomizes @BJP4India’s cultural ignorance. The people of Bengal will never accept these disrespectful leaders!” Meanwhile, BJP leader Anupam Hazra put his party in discomfort with his allegations that VIP passes were being sold for the Gita chant event at Rs 1000 each. Sharing a message on social media, he reiterated his claim for a BJP that is free of thieves.