Bharatiya Janta Party MP Saumitra Khan on Friday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the reincarnation of Swami Vivekananda in a new form.
"PM 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,” said BJP MP from Bishnupur constituency of West Bengal.
His comment drew severe criticism from Opposition parties. TMC slammed the BJP MP saying Swami Vivekananda is incomparable.
“Saumitra Khan is a person, who fought 3 elections for 3 different parties. He has become insecure about getting a ticket for the upcoming polls and doing this to get a brownie point. His comments are very childish and unfortunate. Swami Vivekananda is incomparable,” said TMC MP Santanu Sen.
Khan has been MP from Bishnupur since 2014 and he joined BJP in 2019.
Earlier, PM Modi, on Thursday, paid homage to Swami Vivekananda on his 160th birth anniversary. Remembering the iconic spiritual figure, the Prime Minister said his great ideals and ideas will continue to guide the people of the country.
"His (Vivekananda's) life, patriotism, spiritualism and dedication will always inspire," PM Modi wrote on Twitter. The Prime Minister has often mentioned Vivekananda as a major influence on him.
Later in the day, PM Modi also inaugurated the 'National Youth Festival' in Karnataka to mark the day.
(With ANI input)
