TMC asks BJP to apologise for 'insulting' Swami Vivekananda

Kolkata: The Trinamool Congress, displeased with alleged remarks by BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar against Swami Vivekananda, organised a protest rally here on Tuesday, demanding an immediate apology from Majumdar and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, currently in the city for organisational meetings.

A video surfaced on Sunday evening where Majumdar was heard saying, "Bengal was the cradle of the Bhakti movement and it had embraced the 'Sanatan dharma' for ages but got derailed for some time due to the Leftists. Those who prioritise football over Gita are all Leftist products, proving a little learning is a dangerous thing. Bengal will now follow the right path, starting from today (the day of Gita reading on December 24)." PTI could not independently verify the authenticity of the video clip.

In a one-of-its-kind gathering at the Brigade Parade Grounds here on Sunday, nearly 1 lakh people from diverse backgrounds collectively chanted sacred verses from the Bhagavad Gita.

On Monday, Majumdar said his comments on football and the Gita were misconstrued by the ruling TMC to spread falsehoods and divert attention from its alleged failure to prevent a leaked TET question paper the previous day.

Majumdar told reporters, "I did not indicate Swami Vivekananda. How can I? If you listen to my comments in the video, you will see I referred to the Leftists of today. TMC is trying to play politics and mislead people. TMC should refrain from teaching us and instead educate themselves about the teachings of Swamiji."

Despite Majumdar's clarification, the TMC remained firm in its stance, insisting on an immediate apology from both Majumdar and Shah.

TMC minister Sashi Panja said, "We know that the BJP and its leaders have the least regard for legends and renowned personalities from Bengal. We have seen how the statue of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar was vandalised by BJP goons during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, in a rally led by Amit Shah. We demand an immediate apology from Majumdar and Shah."

On Tuesday, the TMC youth wing organised a rally in north Kolkata, concluding at the ancestral residence of Swami Vivekananda on Simla Street.

The activists, carrying posters and placards, vociferously shouted slogans against the BJP.

This incident evokes memories of state politics being influenced by Bengali sub-nationalism from 2019-2021, just before the assembly polls. Various outfits, including Bangla Pokkho, have accused the saffron camp of attempting to 'impose Hindi and north Indian culture' on Bengal.

The 'insider-outsider' debate in West Bengal gained momentum before the 2021 state election, with the ruling TMC embracing Bengali sub-nationalism to counter the BJP's Hindutva narrative. The TMC branded the BJP as a 'party of outsiders,' using the poll slogan 'Bangla Nijer Meyekei Chai' (Bengal wants its own daughter) and emphasizing sub-nationalism in its narrative.

Led by Mamata Banerjee, the Trinamool Congress secured a third consecutive term in power, bagging 213 seats, while the BJP, despite an intense campaign, managed only 77.