Mamata Banerjee: On Monday, Swami Pradiptananda from the Bharat Sevashram Sangha (BSS) took the step of sending a legal notice to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. He requested an unconditional apology within 48 hours. This followed Banerjee’s naming of him just two days prior, during her accusations against a faction of monks allegedly aligned with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
In the notice, which HT has obtained a copy of, Pradiptananda’s counsel, Billwadal Bhattacharyya, urged Banerjee to promptly address the press and deliver an unconditional apology. He further demanded the retraction of her virulent and malicious statement within 48 hours of receiving the notice. Additionally, he called for an end to any further similar statements against his client, which he deemed defamatory and maligning.
The notice also stipulated that if Banerjee failed to respond within four days, it would be construed as her intention to widely publicize the defamatory content with the purpose of falsely and maliciously tarnishing Pradiptananda’s reputation. Furthermore, it emphasized that Pradiptananda, also known as Kartick Maharaj and serving as the BSS secretary in Aurangabad, Beldanga (Murshidabad), and Payradanga (Nadia), reserved the right to initiate criminal proceedings against Banerjee.
During a rally in Hooghly on Saturday, Banerjee expressed her profound respect for monks while acknowledging the diversity within their ranks. She specifically referred to a monk named Kartick Maharaj associated with the BSS unit in Berhampore, whom she had been aware of for a considerable time. Banerjee recounted Maharaj’s declaration of barring any TMC election agent from polling booths, which led her to question his monkhood due to his direct involvement in politics. She criticized this involvement, attributing it to detrimental effects on the country. Despite her reservations about Kartick Maharaj, Banerjee reiterated her deep respect for the Bharat Sevashram Sangha.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticized Banerjee, alleging that she was disparaging and issuing threats to ISKCON, RKM, and BSS in order to safeguard the interests of Muslims and infiltrators, whom he labeled as the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC)’s vote bank.
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At a rally in Bankura, Modi asserted that the chief minister’s disparaging remarks against esteemed organizations were motivated by pressure from staunch Muslim groups to garner votes. He accused the TMC of disrespecting Bengal’s rich heritage and culture, citing their repeated derogatory comments regarding the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. Modi urged the audience to counter the TMC’s appeasement politics with their votes.