In a fiery statement from Mumbai, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut has denounced the alleged mistreatment of Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati during the ongoing Magh Mela in Prayagraj. The MP framed the episode as a blatant disrespect to Hindu traditions, urging self-proclaimed Hindutva guardians to introspect.
Details of the clash reveal police intervention against the Jyotish Peeth head, which Raut deems ‘highly disturbing.’ He argued that the Shankaracharya’s forthright views on issues shouldn’t invite such hostility. Nationally recognized with state guest honors, the seer deserves protection, not confrontation.
Raut’s broadside targeted the Uttar Pradesh administration under Yogi Adityanath, highlighting the irony for a government rooted in Hindu pride. He drew parallels to Maharashtra, where the leader was once hosted lavishly by then-CM Eknath Shinde, complete with traditional welcomes. ‘Shinde’s current silence speaks volumes about fake devotion,’ Raut quipped.
Dubbing perpetrators of such acts as ‘pseudo-Hindus driven by self-interest,’ Raut stressed this isn’t isolated but symptomatic of performative politics. Shiv Sena (UBT) pledges vigilant monitoring and strong opposition to any further lapses. The episode raises pressing questions: Can true Hindutva coexist with intolerance toward its own icons?
With elections looming, Raut’s intervention amplifies voices demanding accountability, reminding all that spiritual sanctity must trump political expediency.