Kolkata: Controversy erupted between Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Monday during birth anniversary celebration of Swami Vivekananda, after TMC posters featuring picture of party’s national secretary Abhishek Banerjee with the caption ‘Welcome Yuvraaj’ outside the ancestral house of Swami Vivekananda in Simla street in north Kolkata.
Notably, the posters were set up Jorasanko TMC MLA Vivek Gupta ahead of Banerjee’s visit to that area.
VIDEO | Kolkata: TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee pays tribute to Swami Vivekananda at his ancestral home on his birth anniversary.
(Full video available on PTI Videos – https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/1r5wB6ij6L
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 12, 2026
Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari along with other BJP leaders visited the ancestral house of Swami Vivekananda to commemorate the occasion.
Talking to the media, Adhikari said, “By setting such posters TMC has insulted Swami Vivekananda. I have been visiting this place for the last 33 years and I never allow anyone to even write my name on our posters. The posters were placed just outside the ancestral house of Swamiji. It’s a disgrace as Swami Vivekananda is the only ‘Yuvraj’.”
#WATCH | Kolkata: West Bengal LoP Suvendu Adhikari says, "I came here to offer my regards to Swami Vivekananda. He is our icon, and he clearly said that you should proudly say that we are Hindu. As a Hindu, I come here, offer my regards and my pranam to Swami Vivekananda. Youth… pic.twitter.com/zvko4iGYOk
— ANI (@ANI) January 12, 2026
Also Watch:
TMC leader and minister Shashi Panja who also visited the ancestral house of Swami Vivekananda also criticized the posters set up by the saffron camp with teachings of Swamiji.
However, later Abhishek Banerjee also paid tribute to Swami Vivekananda at his ancestral house and had visited the room where Swamiji was born.