Jalpaiguri: BJP Rajya Sabha MP Ananta Maharaj allegedly manhandled a monk of Ramakrishna Vivekananda Seva Ashram at Cooch Behar’s Sitai on Sunday evening. While BJP dissociated itself from the incident and condemned it, Trinamool Congress slammed the MP’s act and urged BJP to act against him.
According to witnesses, Ananta threatened and humiliated Bigyadananda Tirthanath Maharaj while his aides roughed up ashram inmates.“He (Ananta) misbehaved with me, while his aides manhandled some of the residents here and abused me,” Bigyadananda told reporters.
The incident sparked outrage among locals and ashram inmates, who demanded an unconditional apology from the BJP MP. A section of locals staged a road blockade on SH 12A demanding Ananta’s punishment. Ashram treasurer Swapan Patowari later lodged an FIR against the MP in Sitai PS.
Ananta Maharaj, however, denied the charges. “While visiting the ashram, I asked the seer about his name, identity and educational qualifications, but he got angry and refused to answer, though there was no physical confrontation. After I left, he misled some locals and blocked the road. There was no incident involving my aides mistreating him or anyone at the ashram. These allegations are completely unfounded,” he told reporters. Ananta told the media that he had gone to the ashram to ask whether he could help them with MPLAD funds.
BJP’s Cooch Behar MLA Sukumar Roy condemned the incident. “We don’t support any form of attack or abuse of monks. We respect them for their selfless service towards the betterment of society. We will inquire about it,” he said.
Senior state minister Udayan Guha rushed to the ashram and told reporters: “No educated person can do this. This is unthinkable. Denigrating the monk and the ashram inmates is a shame for which strict action should be taken. This is unacceptable. BJP should also come clean on what steps it will take. A complaint has been lodged...