The Bharat Sevashram Sangha (BSS) on Friday expelled Swami Jyotirmayananda, popularly known as Utpal Maharaj, after he entered electoral politics as a candidate of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from the Kaliaganj Assembly constituency in Uttar Dinajpur district.
The decision was conveyed through a letter issued by the Sangha’s general secretary, Swami Biswatmananda, following an emergency meeting of its governing body at the headquarters. The letter stated that the monk had “stepped into a political trap” and abandoned the ashram to join active politics, prompting immediate disciplinary action.
Reiterating its long-held position, the Sangha described itself as a strictly apolitical, socio-religious organisation, where monks, brahmacharis, and residents are prohibited from engaging in political activities or affiliating with any party. The communication warned that succumbing to political influence or inducement undermines the essence of monastic life and diverts it from renunciation to worldly pursuits. Citing the guiding principle of its founder ~ “Atmano mokshartham jagaddhitaya cha” (for one’s own liberation and for the welfare of the world) ~ the Sangha emphasised that spiritual life demands detachment and discipline.
It cautioned members against being drawn into “material temptations” and indicated that stringent action would be taken in future against any such deviation. The development has triggered political debate in Kaliaganj, a constituency under the Raiganj Lok Sabha seat, where the BJP has replaced sitting MLA Soumen Roy with Utpal Maharaj as its nominee for the upcoming Assembly polls. The move has drawn criticism from opponents, including Trinamul Congress candidate Nitai Baisya, an academic, who expressed surprise at the monk’s entry into electoral politics. “I once held him in high regard. It is difficult to reconcile his spiritual standing with participation in political contests,” he remarked.
Kaliaganj has largely favoured the BJP in recent elections. Soumen Roy had won the seat in the last Assembly polls by a margin of around 21,000 votes. The Trinamul Congress has secured the constituency only once ~ in the 2019 by-election following the death of sitting MLA Pramath Nath Roy ~ when Tapan Deb Singha emerged victorious, before losing it again to the BJP two years later.
The Sangha’s decision is expected to add a new dimension to the electoral contest in the region.