‘Culturally insensitive’: Mamata slams PM Modi over ‘Swami’ prefix in Ramakrishna’s name India News

New Delhi: Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee Thursday launched scathing attack on PM Narendra Modi While paying tribute to Sri Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsadeva on his birth anniversary, an “unprecedented and inappropriate prefix” has been added to his name.Mamata accused the Prime Minister of “displaying aggressive cultural insensitivity towards the great men of Bengal”.

“Once again our Prime Minister has shown cultural insensitivity to a great personality of Bengal. Today is the janmatithi of Yugavatara (the incarnation of God in our time) Sri Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansadeva. While trying to pay tribute to this great saint on this occasion, our Prime Minister has added an unprecedented and inappropriate prefix of ‘Swami’ to the name of this great saint!” Mamata said in X’s social media post.“It is known that Sri Ramakrishna was widely revered as Thakur (literally God). Although his ascetic disciples formed the Ramakrishna Math Society and the Ramakrishna Mission after the death of the Master, and these monks were called “Swami” according to Indian tradition, the Master, Acharya himself, was still known as Thakur “The prefix ‘Swami’ refers to his disciples in the Hindu Order of Ramakrishna; but the holy trinity of the Order remains Thakur-Ma-Swamiji, Thakur is Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansadeva, Ma Sri Rama Sarada and Swamiji is Swami Vivekananda,” she added.Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi paid tribute to Swami Ramakrishna Paramahansa on his birth anniversary and said his noble thoughts will always be a source of inspiration.“On the occasion of Swami Ramakrishna Paramahansa’s birth anniversary, a tribute is paid to him. The way he established spirituality and meditation as important life forces will continue to bless humanity in every era. His noble thoughts and messages will always be a source of inspiration. “Modi said in a Hindi post on X.Ramakrishna Paramahansa was born on this day in 1836.Ramakrishna Paramahansa served as the priest of the Dakshineswar Kali Temple in Kolkata and was famous for his teachings on religious harmony.Ramakrishna Mathematics and Ramakrishna Mission were founded by Sri Ramakrishna and his chief disciple Swami Vivekananda.The Ramakrishna Mathematical Society and the Ramakrishna Mission are world-wide, non-political, non-sectarian spiritual organizations that have been engaged in various forms of humanitarian and social service activities for more than a century.