Ramakrishna Mission members seek judicial, CBI probes into violence

Members of the Ramakrishna Mission here have demanded judicial and CBI inquiries into the recent violence that occurred on the premises of the ashram located near the Vidhan Sabha. Seven persons, including three police personnel, were injured in the incident.

Swami Tanmahimanand, secretary of the Ramakrishna Mission, Shimla, while addressing a press conference, said that the matter was not between the members of the mission and the Bramho Samaj but between the mission and some encroachers. He added that it should be investigated who were the people those entered the temple premises and on whose behest they committed violence.

He said that on November 16, around 150 persons posing as devotees reached the ashram premises and took part in the evening aarti. “When we requested them to leave the premises after the aarti as it was time to close the temple, they refused to go. They started to claim that the temple belongs to them and tried to take its control. They also broke CCTV cameras,” he alleged. He added, “When we tried to enter the temple, they started attacking us and in self defence, we also retaliated.”

Swami Tanmahimanand alleged that he tried to call Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and two Cabinet ministers but received no response. He said that later, he contacted Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur, who assured him of all help.

Lalit Thakur, a member of the Bramho Samaj who was present at the media conference, alleged that Vishal Sharma was behind the incident. He said that Sharma was working as a gardener at the ashram. “In 2007, Vishal Sharma unauthorisedly created a trust in Himachal Pradesh parallel to the Himalayan Brahmo Samaj.

A case was filed in the High Court of Himachal and in 2011, the court ordered that Vishal Sharma’s trust be prohibited from using the name of the Himalaya Brahmo Samaj and from allowing others to do so,” he added. They also accused the police of not taking proper action in the matter.

Meanwhile, SP, Shimla, Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi said, “We have provided adequate security to the Ramakrisnha Mission for the past several months. Cases have been registered against all persons, who were involved in the violence. No special treatment can be given to anyone as no one is above law.”