A tense and troubling situation unfolded in Kolkata when Ashim Basu, a Trinamool Congress councillor from Ward No. 70 of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, entered a Hindu ashram in Bhawanipore and ordered several visiting Hindu saints to leave. The incident took place at the Bholananda Giri Ashram, where the visiting sadhus had been staying as part of a religious gathering.

According to the sadhus, they had come from different parts of West Bengal to participate in a spiritual congregation. However, their stay was abruptly disrupted when the councillor arrived at the premises and insisted that they vacate the ashram. The saints alleged that they were accused of having political motives behind their visit, something they firmly denied. They further stated that the situation escalated when threats were made against them. They claimed that the councillor warned them of possible physical assault and even spoke about cutting off essential services like electricity and water to the ashram.

The sadhus also shared that they felt targeted because of their religious activities. They said they were conducting spiritual outreach by organizing events and interacting with local residents to spread Hindu teachings. According to them, this may have led to the confrontation. They alleged that they were attacked for simply carrying out their religious duties in the area.

A video of the incident later surfaced, showing Ashim Basu confronting the saints. In the footage, he is seen raising his voice and questioning their presence in the locality. He accused them of going door-to-door, distributing pamphlets, and recording videos in the neighborhood. The councillor himself shared this video on Facebook, bringing further attention to the matter.

In the video, Basu can be heard questioning why individuals from outside the area were staying at the ashram. He expressed concern over unfamiliar people visiting homes in the locality and suggested that such actions could be suspicious. He implied that some individuals might be pretending to be sadhus while engaging in unlawful activities, including theft.

During the confrontation, he repeatedly asked the visiting saints about their origins and their purpose at the Bhawanipore ashram. When the sadhus responded that they were there to share Hindu teachings, he rejected their explanation. He insisted that they had no right to remain at the ashram under such circumstances and demanded that they leave the premises immediately.

The councillor also pointed to the fact that the sadhus were carrying Android phones. He accused them of recording videos while visiting local homes and suggested that their actions could be part of a larger political campaign. He further warned that he could take legal action against them and involve the police if necessary.

Despite these serious allegations, the sadhus later spoke to the media and strongly denied any political connection. They maintained that their visit was purely religious in nature. They explained that their interactions with local residents were limited to spiritual discussions and outreach, and that they had no involvement in any form of political activity.