Lucknow, Jan 22 (NationPress) A banner stating “Shankaracharya ka apmaan, nahi sahega Hindustan” was displayed outside the Samajwadi Party (SP) headquarters in Lucknow on Thursday, showcasing solidarity for Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand. The banner was put up by Ashutosh Singh, a former state secretary of the party’s youth wing.

This banner appears amidst a contentious situation involving Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand, who was reportedly prevented by the Magh Mela administration from heading towards the Sangam Nose in Prayagraj. This event has sparked significant political and religious backlash.

On Wednesday, Jagadguru Rambhadracharya stated that the seer himself had committed a 'transgression' by trying to reach the holy River Ganga in a chariot, asserting that the administration had not wronged him.

Previously, on January 20, Congress leader Udit Raj condemned the actions taken against the seer, claiming that the government is targeting dissenters.

“An injustice has been done to the Shankaracharya. This government operates in a manner where anyone, whether a saint or an ordinary person, faces mistreatment, assaults, false charges, and humiliation if they do not comply with its directives. I vehemently denounce the treatment of Swami Avimukteshwaranand in Prayagraj,” he expressed.

Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati has firmly responded to a legal notice issued by the Magh Mela administration questioning his right to the title ‘Shankaracharya’, warning that he will initiate legal action for contempt of court and file a defamation case if the notice is not rescinded.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Prayagraj Mela Authority issued a notice questioning the legitimacy of Swami Avimukteshwaranand’s claim to the title ‘Shankaracharya’, a title traditionally reserved for the highest spiritual authorities of Sanatana Dharma.

In an eight-page response to the Mela authorities, Swami Avimukteshwaranand deemed the notice insulting and claimed it was an attempt to undermine the faith of his followers.

Mela Authority officials noted that the notice refers to a Supreme Court order stating that Swami Avimukteshwaranand is not recognized as the Shankaracharya of Jyotirmath.

The notice questions the grounds on which he is “appropriating” the title ‘Shankaracharya’ and demanded a response within 24 hours.

The notice cites the case titled ‘3010/2020 Jagat Guru Shankaracharya Jyotishpeeth P.S.S.N. Saraswati versus Swami Vasudevanand Saraswati’, which concerns a long-standing legal battle over the rightful Shankaracharya of Jyotir Math, also known as Jyotish Peeth.

This dispute stems from historical disagreements and has been deliberated at multiple judiciary levels, including trial courts, High Courts, and the Supreme Court, particularly concerning injunctions and eligibility.

Both Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati and Swami Vasudevanand Saraswati have asserted claims over the spiritual leadership of Jyotir Math, situated in Badrinath.

In October 2022, the Supreme Court suspended the coronation of Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati as the new Shankaracharya of Jyotir Math in Uttarakhand.

On behalf of Swami Avimukteshwaranand, Supreme Court lawyer P.N. Mishra remarked that the civil appeal cited by the administration refers to an order from October 14, 2022.

He highlighted that an earlier order dated September 21, 2022, had already designated Swami Avimukteshwaranand as Shankaracharya.

“The Swami’s coronation occurred on October 12, 2022. The Supreme Court administration is citing an order dated October 17, while the coronation had already taken place.

The Supreme Court document mentions ‘Shankaracharya’ in several instances. The notice issued by administrative officials constitutes contempt of the Supreme Court, as any coronation post-October 17 has been prohibited,” Mishra asserted.

He further accused Swami Vasudevanand of obtaining the order through a false affidavit, asserting that a petition against him has been lodged.

“We have sent a reply on behalf of Swami Avimukteshwaranand in response to this notice. Action will be taken against the officials who caused confusion by issuing this notice,” he concluded.

The controversy intensified following an incident on Sunday during the auspicious Mauni Amavasya, when Swami Avimukteshwaranand and his followers were trying to take a holy dip at the Sangam Nose.

The seer alleged that police obstructed him and also 'assaulted' his followers.

During the encounter, the spiritual leader claimed that police personnel barred him and his followers from taking a dip in the Ganga on Mauni Amavasya.

Following this, he staged a protest outside his camp, abstaining from food and water, and demanded an apology from senior officials of the mela administration and the police.

Mela Officer Rishiraj, however, asserted that the seer's supporters had allegedly breached barricades on a pontoon bridge meant for emergency services.

District Magistrate Manish Verma stated that similar inquiries regarding the status of the Jyotish Peeth Shankaracharya had been raised during the 2022 Magh Mela, leading to legal counsel being sought from the then mela officer.

According to the administration’s notice dated January 19, the Mela Authority referenced a civil appeal pending in the Supreme Court and requested Swami Avimukteshwaranand to clarify his use of the title of Shankaracharya of Jyotish Peeth.

The notice indicated that since no further orders have been issued in the case, and until the Supreme Court resolves the appeal or provides additional guidance on consecration, no Dharmacharya can be consecrated as Shankaracharya of Jyotish Peeth.