Hours after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for calling Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa “Swami” on the occasion of “Ramakrishna Jayanti,” the BJP responded, questioning the Chief Minister’s understanding. Banerjee accused Modi of cultural insensitivity towards West Bengal’s revered figures. In a social media post, BJP’s Amit Malviya defended Modi’s use of “Swami” for Sri Ramakrishna, clarifying its spiritual significance.
Malviya emphasized that Modi’s reference to “Swami” was not related to the title used by monks at Belur Math. He explained that the monks of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission follow the teachings of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. The BJP leader highlighted the spiritual philosophy of ‘Advaita Vedanta’ practiced by the Ramakrishna Mission, rooted in Sri Ramakrishna’s universal vision of non-dualism between the individual and God.
In a social media post, Malviya shared a video of Mamata Banerjee mistakenly referring to “Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa” as “Sri Krishna Paramhamsa.” Banerjee also claimed that “Sri Krishna Paramahamsa” was the author of the Shrimad Bhagwat Geeta, sparking further debate and clarification on the matter.
