4 months ago
2
The clash implicit the alleged mistreatment of Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati intensified connected Thursday (January 22, 2026) aft the Prayagraj mela authorities served different announcement to the spiritual person accusing him of disturbing the bid and provoking law-and-order problems. They threatened to cancel the seer’s onshore allotment and permanently barroom him from participating successful the spiritual fair.
The enactment betwixt the mela authorities and the Swami started connected January 18, connected the juncture of Mauni Amavasya, erstwhile helium allegedly tried to scope Sangam for bathing, utilizing his chariot without permission. The seer claimed that his followers had been mistreated.
The blasted crippled escalated implicit the past week with governmental parties and spiritual leaders coming retired successful unfastened enactment of Swami Avimukteshwaranand.
Possible stampede
In a announcement issued connected January 18, which the seer said helium received connected Thursday (January 22, 2026) helium was accused of breaking a obstruction connected a span implicit the river. The authorities besides accused him of trying to forcibly participate a crowded country with a chariot, allegedly creating a stampede-like situation.
“.... you created a concern of struggle and anticipation of a stampede which could person resulted successful important nonaccomplishment of life,” the announcement reads.
It added that his actions had disrupted the arrangements for the Magh Mela connected Mauni Amavasya, and posed a superior menace to the information of those attending the mela.
The seer has been asked to reply successful 24 hours wherefore the onshore and facilities provided to his organisation should not beryllium revoked and wherefore helium should not beryllium permanently barred from the mela.
‘Misuse of power’
In response, the Swami said that helium had not breached immoderate regularisation and was not utilizing immoderate chariot astatine the venue. He explained that it was the constabulary that had opened the span for him and besides alleged that the constabulary and the medication are misusing their powers to framework him successful a incorrect case.
“The followers of Shankaracharya, each saints and spiritual preachers, were thrashed by pulling their hair. Policemen successful plain clothes, carrying tiny arms, dragged his palanquin, treated him similar a criminal. He was near connected a slope, causing his palanquin to descent into the stream ravine and hence attempting to harm and execution him,” alleged a reply by the seer’s office.
In different announcement issued connected January 19, the seer had been asked wherefore helium continued to usage the rubric of ‘Shankaracharya’, contempt the Supreme Court’s prohibition.
Political response
With some the Samajwadi Party and the Congress coming retired successful enactment of the protesting seer and accusing the ruling BJP of being a fake protector of sanatan dharma, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya connected Thursday urged the seer to extremity his protestation and enactment successful the mela.
“No 1 has the close to disrespect a Shankaracharya. If anyone has done so, we volition behaviour an enquiry and instrumentality due action,” helium said.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, astatine a nationalist lawsuit successful Sonipath, warned radical to beware of the “Kalnemi” forces threatening sanatan dharma.
Kalnemi, a demon successful Hindu mythology, was known to mislead radical by disguising himself arsenic a saint. “There volition beryllium galore specified Kālnemis who, nether the guise of religion, indispensable beryllium plotting to weaken Sanatan Dharma. We indispensable stay cautious of them, helium said.
