KOLKATA: Ashim Basu, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) councillor from Ward No. 70, has sparked a controversy after barging into the Bholananda Giri Ashram in Bhawanipore and evicting several Hindu saints. The saints, who had traveled from various parts of West Bengal for a religious congregation, alleged that the councillor forced them to leave, accusing them of being there for political propaganda rather than religious purposes.
The visiting monks claimed that Basu threatened them with physical assault and vowed to cut off the Ashram’s power and water supply. According to the saints, the TMC leader attacked them specifically because they were holding religious events and spreading Hindu teachings in the locality. A video shared by the councillor himself on Facebook shows him shouting at the monks, questioning their presence and accusing them of distributing leaflets at local residences.
In his social media post, Basu expressed concern over “unknown people” visiting houses, suggesting they could be “thieves dressed as sadhus.” He further questioned why the monks were carrying Android phones and making videos, alleging their activities were part of a political agenda. While Basu threatened to involve the police, the saints clarified to the media that they have no political affiliations and their house visits were strictly for spiritual purposes.
With input from OPINDIA
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