Akhara Parishad backs Yogi in Magh Mela row, seeks action against erring cops

The All India Akhara Parishad president, Ravindra Puri, has openly come out in support of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in the controversy involving Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Maharaj.

Akhara Parishad president Puri said that there is no royal bath (Shahi Snan) during the Magh Mela, and Swami Avimukteshwaranand should not have insisted on performing one.

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“If a dispute still arose, he should have complained to us and the Chief Minister. Besides, he should not have directly abused the Chief Minister. He is also a saint for us,” he told the media here on Wednesday.

Puri said that they have also written a letter to the Chief Minister informing him about the entire incident.

They have demanded action against the police personnel who beat up the sadhus and their disciples.

The Akhara Parishad president said that action should be taken against the two to four police officers who assaulted the disciples and sadhus. He said that all the sadhus and saints are with Swami Avimukteshwaranand, but he should also not escalate this matter further. We will meet with him soon, he added.

Meanwhile, the dispute between the Magh Mela administration and Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati is now taking a political turn.

While Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai met with Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand yesterday evening, leader of the opposition in the UP assembly and senior Samajwadi Party leader Mata Prasad Pandey visited Shankaracharya’s camp on Wednesday and assured him that he would raise the issue in the assembly. He also sought the Shankaracharya’s blessings.

Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand continued to sit outside his camp in Sector Four of the Magh Mela since Sunday in protest against police harassment and not allowing him to go for Sangam bathing on his chariot.

Pandey said that the entire Sanatani community is with Shankaracharya and all the people and saints are standing by him. He urged the administration and the government to act quickly on this matter, as the Basant Panchami bathing festival is just two days away, which could further escalate the political and religious tensions.