West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has been served a legal notice by Swami Pradiptananda of Bharat Sevashram Sangha (BSS) following her accusations that certain monks were urging voters to support the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The notice, issued by Pradiptananda’s counsel Billwadal Bhattacharyya, demands an unconditional apology from Banerjee within 48 hours.
On Saturday, Banerjee named Pradiptananda, also known as Kartick Maharaj, during a rally in Hooghly, stating that he would not allow Trinamool Congress (TMC) election agents in polling booths, thus implying his political involvement. Banerjee expressed respect for monks but clarified that not all monks are the same.
In response, Pradiptananda’s legal notice urges Banerjee to publicly apologize and retract her statement, warning of potential criminal proceedings if she fails to comply within the stipulated time. The notice suggests that Banerjee’s comments were intended to defame Pradiptananda maliciously.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also weighed in on the controversy, accusing Banerjee of maligning revered organizations like ISKCON, RKM, and BSS under pressure from Muslim groups to secure votes. He urged voters to respond to what he termed TMC’s appeasement politics by voting against them.
The escalating political tension highlights the volatile atmosphere as West Bengal approaches elections, with Banerjee’s remarks and the subsequent legal notice adding fuel to the fire.
