Kolkata, May 20 (IANS): In the face of massive criticism from different quarters of the society on her remarks against the monks of Ramakrishna Math & Ramakrishna Mission, Bharat Sevashram Sangha and ISKCON, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on Monday toned down significantly.
“What have I said? I have not said anything against any institution. I am not against the Ramakrishna Mission. I just talked about a couple of individuals. One such individual was Kartik Maharaj. I said because I got information that he does not allow election agents of Trinamool Congress. He works on behalf of the BJP under the camouflage of religion. He has every right to get involved in political activities. But in that case, he should embrace the lotus symbol publicly instead of taking the refuse of a cover,” the Chief Minister said.
She was addressing an election meeting at Onda under the BIshnupur Lok Sabha constituency in Bankura district in support of the party candidate, Sujata Mondal Khan.
Her explanation comes in the wake of a legal notice served to her earlier in the day by Kartik Maharaj, a monk associated with Bharat Sevashram Sangha’s Baharampur unit of Murshidabad district over her comment.
She devoted much time to explaining her observation about the Ramakrishna Mission. “Why shall I be against the Ramakrishna Mission? Just a few days back when a Maharaj of the mission had fallen sick I went to meet her. I have extremely good relations with them. I restored the residences of Swami Vivekananda, Maa Sarada and Sister Nivedita. But all are not alike and I meant that only. I spoke of only those who are different,” the Chief Minister said.
Political circles believe that the Chief Minister’s explanations on Monday are in the wake of the realization that lakhs of followers of Ramakrishna Mission include non-Hindus also. Several non-Hindu students study in the schools run by Ramakrishna Mission and Sarada Mission.
The faculty of these educational institutions includes individuals from religions other than Hinduism. Several non-Hindu doctors are there on the panel of medical experts in the health services run by this iconic institution founded by Swami Vivekananda.