A Prostration and a Political Revolution

Suvendu Adhikari’s visit to Belur Math heralds a tectonic shift in West Bengal’s political and cultural landscape.

In one of his first acts after being sworn-in as the newly elected Chief Minister of West Bengal, Suvendu Adhikari visited the historic Belur Math in Howrah. In a profound gesture of reverence, he offered a Sashtang Pranam (full prostration) before the assembled monks. For political observers and those deeply acquainted with Bengal’s socio-cultural fabric, this visual was revolutionary and indicative of a massive paradigm shift.

This act of the Chief Minister bowing before the center of modern Bengal’s spiritual heritage cannot be fully comprehended without acknowledging the decades of ideological struggle that have roiled the state. The Chief Minister’s  gesture marked the official dawn of a new chapter in the state’s political narrative.

Ideological Friction

To grasp the underlying currents of this moment, one must revisit the prolonged 34-year tenure of the Left Front government. West Bengal holds a complex but pivotal place in India’s cultural history. It was here in 1897 that Swami Vivekananda established the globally revered Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission (Belur Math) in the name of his guru, Sri Ramakrishna. The organization’s philosophy is anchored in the great spiritual and social principles of ‘Shiva Bhave Jiva Seva'’(Serving God by serving humanity) and ‘Atmano Mokshartham Jagat Hitaya Cha’ (For one’s own liberation and the welfare of the world).

Guided by Advaita Vedanta and Karma Yoga, the Mission set a global benchmark in education, healthcare, and humanitarian relief. Yet, over the last five decades, this institution has faced severe and deliberate political friction.

During the Left Front’s rule from 1977 to 2011, the state administration, driven by a self-proclaimed ‘secular’ and rationalist ideology, frequently displayed marked hostility toward Hindu traditions and spiritual institutions. Leftist ideologues consistently dismissed a visionary like Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa in derogatory terms, while systematically attempting to reframe Swami Vivekananda, a global ambassador of Indian philosophy, as a ‘Hindu fundamentalist.’

This ideological divide inevitably spilled over into administrative overreach. The Ramakrishna Mission’s educational institutions commanded immense respect across Bengal, making them a prime target. The administration’s underlying objective was to seize control of these institutions, indoctrinate impressionable students with Marxist ideology, and condition them to reject the noble teachings of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.

Autonomy Under Threat

The effort to dismantle the Mission’s autonomy reached its peak under the government led by then-Chief Minister Jyoti Basu. A deliberate administrative push was made to strip the Mission-run schools, colleges, and universities of their independence by infiltrating their Governing Boards with CPI(M) ideologues and political operatives. The goal was to eliminate the administrative control of the monks and establish the dominance of the red flag on campus.

This conflict reached a flashpoint in 1980 when Swami Jitatmananda, the Principal of the Ramakrishna Mission's Vivekananda Centenary College in Rahara, resigned. The Mission appointed Swami Shivamayananda as his successor, but Communist-affiliated teachers’ unions vehemently opposed the decision. Empowered by political backing, the unions launched a strike, physically barred the new principal from taking charge, and unilaterally installed an acting principal. This complete disruption of the institution served as glaring evidence of state-backed political interference in the internal affairs of the Ramakrishna Mission.

Strategic Masterstroke

Cornered by an oppressive state machinery, the Ramakrishna Mission launched a strategic and courageous legal defense at the Calcutta High Court. To protect the organization, legal experts advised a brilliant, albeit unconventional, defense mechanism based on Article 30(1) of the Indian Constitution. Because this constitutional provision grants exclusive protections against government interference to linguistic and religious minority institutions - protections not afforded to majority Hindu institutions - the only viable way to save the organization from the CPI(M) government’s destructive designs was to seek recognition as a ‘minority (non-Hindu) institution’ or an independent denomination termed ‘Ramakrishnaism.’

The Mission’s decision to adopt this strategy was a testament to their exceptional intellect and foresight. Rather than yielding to a tyrannical regime, the Mission utilized this legal manoeuvre to protect its sacred premises, values, and educational framework. This calculated masterstroke, designed to ensure survival against overwhelming odds, is highly commendable. It draws a natural parallel to the strategic legal battles fought by the freedom fighter Swatantryaveer Savarkar against the British regime while incarcerated in the Andamans. Ultimately, the Calcutta High Court ruled in the Mission’s favour, buying them two invaluable decades of legal protection to ward off direct Communist control.

During this extensive legal battle, certain Hindu organizations developed the baseless misconception that the Ramakrishna Mission was alienating itself from Hinduism. However, the Ramakrishna Math and Mission never internally distanced themselves from the Hindu faith. The declaration was merely a strategic, temporary legal shield raised to withstand political persecution. When an adversary attacks a temple, temporarily altering strategy to protect the deity and the sanctity of the premises is an act of preserving the religion, not abandoning it. Thanks to this strategic foresight, the Hindu ethos of the Mission’s institutions remained secure even during the Left’s rule.

When the dispute eventually reached the Supreme Court, the bench ruled on July 2, 1995, that the Ramakrishna Mission is an integral denomination of the Hindu religion. The Mission joyfully welcomed this verdict, as by that time, the Left’s political grip had weakened, and the Mission had successfully achieved its primary objective of safeguarding its autonomy.

The defining hallmark of the Ramakrishna Mission has always been its strict apolitical stance. In accordance with Swami Vivekananda's teachings, the Mission has never aligned itself with electoral politics. Regardless of the ruling government, the Mission has persistently focused on humanitarian service, maintaining that the domain of ascetics exists beyond political power.

Unfortunately, the previous Trinamool Congress (TMC) administration also failed to respect this boundary. During the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee publicly levelled severe allegations against the Ramakrishna Mission from rally stages, falsely claiming that certain monks were operating as political agents for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Following her rhetoric, antisocial elements attacked the Ramakrishna Mission’s ashram in Jalpaiguri, threatening the resident monks. In an unprecedented protest against this political intimidation, hundreds of monks and sadhus took to the streets in May 2024, organizing a ‘Sant Swabhiman Yatra’ (March for Saints’ Dignity).

Historic Transition

An unprecedented political revolution occurred during the West Bengal legislative assembly elections of May 2026. The 15-year autocratic rule of the Trinamool Congress came to an end as the Bharatiya Janata Party secured a massive majority of 207 seats, establishing its government in Bengal for the first time. The primary architect of this historic victory, newly elected Chief Minister Shri Suvendu Adhikari, made his very first spiritual decision after taking the oath of office by visiting the Belur Math. On the morning of May 21, 2026, he offered a complete prostration before the monks.

This gesture symbolized much more than the personal reverence of Suvendu Adhikari; it reflected the deep-rooted relationship and unwavering faith shared between the BJP, the Central Government, and the Ramakrishna Mission. India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself shares a profound, personal connection with Belur Math, having sought to join the monastic order in his youth.

Now, with Suvendu Adhikari leading a government that aligns with the Center and holds the utmost respect for the Ramakrishna Mission, Hindu institutions in Bengal can look forward to operating freely and without political pressure. This journey, which commenced with a single prostration, is the definitive first step toward once again transforming Bengal into the enlightened, golden ‘Sonar Bangla’ of saints.

(The author is Chief Executive Officer, Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini and a devotee of Sri Ramakrishna and Vivekananda. Views personal.)