Kolkata, Jun 1 (PTI) Monks from various organisations met Union Home Minister Amit Shah here on Sunday and raised concerns over alleged atrocities on Hindus in West Bengal’s Malda and Murshidabad districts and cross-border infiltration from Bangladesh.
During the meeting at Swami Vivekananda’s ancestral home, the monks claimed that Shah urged Hindu religious leaders to unite and work towards resolving broader issues concerning humanity.
Shah paid floral tributes to Swami Vivekananda during the programme.
Padma awardee Kartik Maharaj said monks touched upon the issue of violence against Hindus while underlining the spiritual and cultural legacy of India.
He said that Shah had come for blessings, not for political discussions.
A monk who was present in the meeting said, “We have raised the atrocities on Hindus in Bengal’s Malda and Murshidabad districts and infiltration from Bangladesh but Shah did not respond to specific queries or any incident cited by monks.” He stressed that the meeting was spiritual in nature and aimed at seeking blessings and guidance from fellow monks.
“A central theme of the discussion was what is needed for collective effort. Participants reached a consensus emphasising the importance of working together as a single unit. Working together was the shared sentiment. This unified approach is aimed at benefiting the general public, specifically by exploring how spirituality can be applied in daily life for the welfare of people,” International Vedanta Society joint general secretary Tejamayi Maa said.
Vedaprana Mata, Convenor of the International Vedanta Society, New Barrackpore, said, “Sanatan Dharma was a central theme of the discussion. Some speakers expressed concern that Western countries are currently embracing and advancing Sanatan values more actively than India. The need to preserve and strengthen these values in its homeland was emphasised.” The importance of promoting Indian culture was also highlighted, along with the shared belief that the essence of all religion lies in humanity, she said.
A monk present in the meeting claimed, “Shah has asked sadhus to reflect on their role in society, whether it should remain limited to spiritual practices like meditation, kirtan, and worship or extend to engaging with pressing issues of the time.”
(This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)
