The Congress on Tuesday came down heavily on the BJP-led government in Uttar Pradesh after a notice was served to Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand, who has been sitting on hunger strike for the last two days.
Addressing a press conference for the second consecutive day, Congress leader Pawan Khera, who is also the chairman of the media and publicity department said that the Shankaracharya has been on an indefinite fast for the last 48 hours, without food or water, in protest against being stopped from taking the ritual bath on Mauni Amavasya and the assault on his followers.
Khera, who is also the CWC member pointed out that how Shankaracharya’s 85-year-ole disciple was beaten with shoes.
Khera said that instead of expressing shock abd apologising, the Uttar Pradesh government served a notice to the Shankaracharya at midnight through the Prayagraj Mela Authority, stating that the State did not recognise him as a Shankaracharya.
“Will the DM, CM or the PM decide who is the Shankaracharya?” Khera asked.
He said that Shankaracharyas are appointed as per long-established traditions of their respective mutts. He even pointed out that the Supreme Court, in its 1954 Shirur Mutt judgment, had clearly ruled against state interference in religious matters and said the notice violated Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution.
The Congress leader also played a video of Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier bowing in front of Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand, and alleged that the BJP government was now questioning his status after he raised concerns related to cow slaughter and other issues.Khera also said that the Shankaracharya only wanted to perform the ritual Ganga snan in accordance with Sanatan tradition, but was asked to seek permission for it.
He said that Swami Avimukteshwaranand himself has said that he has been performing the ritual bath for the past 40 years, so why should he need permission for it now.
He asked whether anyone has ownership over the Ganga river.
He alleged that saints are being mistreated, while selfstyled custodians of Hinduism and those aligned with the ruling establishment are being given special security and facilities. He added that crores of rupees are being spent on the security of organisations like the RSS.
“Earlier they asked Muslims to show documents; now they are demanding documents from the ‘Sant Shiromani’ of the Hindu religion,” Khera said.
Lashing out at the BJP and the UP government, Khera said they had crossed all limits by disrespecting the Shankaracharya, adding that a party claiming to be the custodian of the Hindu faith had committed a grave moral wrong.
