Shankaracharya continues protest, Magh Mela admin says he was not insulted
Shankaracharya continues protest, Magh Mela admin says he was not insulted
M.U.H
20/01/202617
Even as Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati continued his protest on the second day on Monday over his palanquin having been stopped on the way to the Sangam on Sunday, the Magh Mela administration reiterated that he was not insulted during Mauni Amavasya.
Shankaracharya told reporters on Monday that his movement plan for Mauni Amavasya had been shared with the Mela administration three days in advance through WhatsApp after the office staff allegedly refused to accept a written application.
“It is a tradition for the Shankaracharya to go for the holy dip in a palanquin. If officials think a Shankaracharya needs permission from them, they are mistaken. My disciples were manhandled and brutally attacked by police. I waited till 1am , but no senior officer came to apologise or escort me for the bath,” he said.
The Shankaracharya announced that he would stay in the Magh Mela, but would not return to his camp until the administration apologised for the incident and took him to Sangam with due respect. He demanded that a dedicated corridor be created for him and Vaishnavacharyas to bathe at the Sangam — a condition he termed “non-negotiable”.
He clarified he was neither on a hunger strike nor staging a dharna, but sitting at the spot where officials allegedly left him after the dispute on Sunday.
Accusing police of detaining 35 of his disciples and assaulting 12, at the police station, he said medical examinations had been conducted and an email complaint sent seeking registration of a case. He added that Jyotishpeeth was consulting its lawyers to move the high court.
On questions regarding his legitimacy, he asserted, “I am and will remain the Shankaracharya,” claiming support from two Shankaracharyas and “silent approval” from another.
He also accused political leaders Akhilesh Yadav, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi of attempting to exploit the issue.
Meanwhile, senior administrative officials rebutted his allegations in a press briefing. They claimed that the Shankaracharya was “respectfully requested for nearly three hours” to walk to the Sangam without the palanquin, but he declined.
Divisional commissioner Saumya Agarwal said that no one stopped him from taking the holy dip, but there was no prior permission for taking the Shankaracharya’s palanquin till the Sangam Nose amidst lakhs of devotees.
She said each senior official tried to convince him to move ahead on foot for taking the holy dip, as it was not possible to allow the palanquin to go any further. Also, the area had been declared a no-vehicle zone in advance, she said.
Police commissioner Jogendra Kumar said the allegations of beating of disciples were false. The officials further maintained that the land allotted for his camp was not in the name of Shankaracharya but in the name of the organisation and that the Supreme Court has not given any decision on the title of Shankaracharya.
Former SP MP meets seer
Former Samajwadi Party MP Kunwar Reoti Raman Singh met the Shankaracharya at his camp in Magh Mela. The seer’s PRO Shailendra Yogiraj Sarkar said that SP leader had extended his support to the Shankaracharya and criticised the administration.
