Puri shankaracharya attacks Sangh Parivar,
calls them zealots
Swami Adhokshjanand Tirtha, shankaracharya of Puri and head of one of the five main religious seats of Hindus in the country, today lashed out at the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, and the Bajrang Dal for "misleading" people in the name of religion and "trying to stifle the voice of genuine saints".
Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, the shankaracharya said the "so-called self-made saviours of Hinduism" have tried to pressurise the "genuine saints" to toe their line.
But the "genuine saints" have and will resist all such attempts, he said.
"Even during Mrs Indira Gandhi's rule, sadhus were not subjected to such controversies, threats and harassment," he said.
The shankaracharya said he is against conversions and wants a law to ban them. But the way the "religious zealots" of the RSS and the VHP are doing it is not in the national interest and is fraught with dangers for the country's unity and security.
He said the "genuine sadhus" are thinking of a way to stop conversions and will bring out a plan of action shortly. He did not elaborate.
On the Ayodhya issue also, the swami said he favours the building of a temple, but again did not elaborate.
He said he has been on a yatra (tour) of the entire country for the last two and a half years to spread the message of love and brotherhood. So far he has travelled to the north-eastern states and Maharashtra. He is leaving for Bhutan tomorrow and will go to Punjab thereafter.
The shankaracharya said he had also visited the Kashmir valley in July 1998 and met leaders of the All-Parties Hurriyat Conference. He declined to disclose what transpired at the meeting, but blamed the politicians for forcing the youth to take to militancy.
He accused the government of attempting to disrupt his meetings at many places, including in Maharashtra, by trying to scare people away from his religious discourses.
UNI
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