Bharatiya Janata Party MP from West Bengal’s Bishnupur Lok Sabha constituency on Thursday drew parallels between Swami Vivekananda and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling the latter a reincarnation of the former.
“PM Narendra Modi is the reincarnation of Swami Vivekananda in a new form. Swami Vivekananda is a God-like figure for us. Seeing the way PM Modi is serving the country and its people, it can be said that he is the Swami Vivekananda of modern India,” Saumitra Khan, who serves as the president of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, said in Bankura today.
Bankura, WB | PM Narendra Modi is the reincarnation of Swami Vivekananda in a new form. Swami Vivekananda is a god-like figure for us. Seeing the way PM Modi is serving the country & its people, it can be said that he is the Swami Vivekananda of modern India
: BJP MP Saumitra Khan pic.twitter.com/YuojSZjfqc — ANI (@ANI) January 12, 2023
The unusual praise for Modi comes on the occasion of Swami Vivekananda’s 149th birth anniversary which is being observed as Swami Vivekananda Jayanti across India. The Prime Minister, himself, has often invoked Vivekananda on multiple public platforms and often refers to him as a source of inspiration.
On Thursday, the Prime Minister joined the nation in paying tributes to Swami Vivekananda on the occasion and said that his thoughts and ideals would continue to guide countrymen.
“Tributes to Swami Vivekananda on his birth anniversary. His life always inspires patriotism, spirituality and hard work. His great thoughts and ideals will continue to guide the countrymen,” the Prime Minister tweeted.
The remarks by Khan, however, drew ridicule from the ruling Trinamool Congress
Saumitra Khan, 42, began his career with the Congress but joined the Trinamool Congress in 2013. He was fielded as the party candidate from the Bishnupur constituency in the 2014 general election and won. However, he defected to the BJP in 2019.
In a rejig of the West Bengal unit of the BJP last year, Khan faced a significant setback when he was overlooked for a seat in the party’s core committee for the state. It was reported in October last year that Khan had abdicated his responsibility as the party observer within hours of the announcement.