Bengal BJP MP accused of pushing and beating seer at ashram, tension grips town

BJP Rajya Sabha MP Anant Maharaj allegedly pushed and beat up a seer during an argument with him at an ashram in West Bengal's Cooch Behar district. The MP has refuted any incident of assault.

In Short

• BJP's Anant Maharaj visited ashram in Cooch Behar's Sitai on Sunday
• He argues with seer who didn't respond to his queries about his age, qualification
• Locals burn tyres and block road, demand Anant Maharaj's arrest

Tension gripped a town in West Bengal's Cooch Behar district after BJP MP Anant Maharaj allegedly manhandled a seer at an ashram and locals demanded his arrest while blocking a road and burning tyres.

Anant Maharaj, a Rajya Sabha member, had gone to Ramakrishna Vivekananda Seva Ashram in Sitai on Sunday. He said there was an argument between him and the ashram's seer, Vigyanananda Tirtha Maharaj, when he asked him about his name and educational qualifications.

The BJP MP, accompanied by his aides, then allegedly pushed and beat the sadhu before leaving the ashram.

As Anant Maharaj left the ashram with a convoy, locals protested against the seer's ill-treatment allegedly by the BJP MP and blocked the Sitai Mathabhanga road while demanding his arrest.

Later, the police were called to the spot and pacified the protesters after speaking to them.

"When I went to the ashram and asked the seer's name, his identity and educational qualification, he refused to say anything in anger. But there was no incident of assault. After leaving the ashram, the seer misled some locals and blocked the way," he claimed.

On the other hand, Trinamool Congress leader and West Bengal minister Udayan Guha condemned the incident and asked the police to take appropriate action.