Cultural Sensitivity Clash: Banerjee Criticizes PM Modi's Tribute to Ramakrishna

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called out Prime Minister Narendra Modi for using the prefix 'Swami' in a tribute to Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, alleging cultural insensitivity. Banerjee insisted on referring to Ramakrishna as 'Thakur', emphasizing the importance of correctly recognizing great historical figures of Bengal.

West Bengal's Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, sharply criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday over his use of the prefix 'Swami' in a social media post marking Ramakrishna Paramahamsa's birth anniversary.

Banerjee accused the Prime Minister of displaying cultural insensitivity towards Bengal's revered figures. She highlighted that Ramakrishna Paramahamsa is commonly referred to as 'Thakur', not 'Swami', a title reserved for his disciples within the Ramakrishna Order.

This incident follows a similar instance where Banerjee objected to Modi's reference to Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay as 'Bankim da'. She called on the Prime Minister to respect historical nuances and not apply new titles to such significant figures.

(With inputs from agencies.)