Swami Agnivesh sponsored attack on himself to gain popularity: Jharkhand Minister

Ranchi: Jharkhand Urban Development Minister CP Singh on Wednesday said that self-proclaimed spiritual leader and social activist Swami Agnivesh sponsored the attack on himself to “gain popularity”.

The minister said that CP Singh is a “fraud” and wears saffron to “deceive simple people of the country”.

CP Singh said, "I think he sponsored an attack on himself. He is a huge hypocrite. He talks against Hindus, makes anti-national comments, supports Kashmiri separatists and naxals."

"As far as I know, Swami Agnivesh is a person who survives on foreign donations. The saffron dress that he wears is to deceive the simple Indians. He is a fraud and not a Swami. He had himself planned this attack to gain popularity," CP Singh told reporters.

On Tuesday, Swami Agnivesh was thrashed by workers of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), the youth wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Read: BJP youth workers thrash activist Swami Agnivesh in Jharkhand

Agnivesh, who was in Jharkhand's Pakur to attend an event, was in his hotel when a mob of the ABVP and Yuva Morcha workers surrounded him.

It is not known yet why the activist was attacked -- no arrest has been made in the case. Swami Agnivesh said his attackers have accused him of supporting beef consumption.

Also Read: Swami Agnivesh demands judicial probe, says pre-planned conspiracy of BJP

Earlier on Wednesday, Agnivesh had said he could have been murdered in the "planned" attack.

Agnivesh further demanded an inquiry by a retired or sitting judge of the Ranchi High Court in the matter.

The spiritual leader lodged a complaint with the Ranchi police, stating that a group of people allegedly belonging to the RSS, and Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) entered the premises and assaulted him.

Soon after the incident, the state government headed by Raghubar Das provided security to Agnivesh.