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Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav launched an attack on the Uttar Pradesh government on Sunday, following a Prayagraj court's order to register an FIR against Jyotish Peeth Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati under the POCSO Act.
Speaking in a press conference in Lucknow, Yadav has criticised the government, alleging that the authorities are targeting the spiritual leader. Yadav accused the government of digging up a 20-year-old incident to humiliate the Shankaracharya. SP Chief said, "The Shankaracharya sat on a dharna for several days; at that time, the cold was at its peak. In our Sanatan tradition, nowhere has any Shankaracharya ever been stopped from bathing, but this is the first time they have been prevented even from bathing... Now this government has dug up a 20-year-old incident to humiliate the Shankaracharya." The controversy erupted after a POCSO court directed the Jhunsi police station to register a case based on a complaint by Shakumbhari Peethadhishwar Ashutosh Brahmachari Maharaj. The complainant, who is associated with the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Mukti Nirman Trust, alleged the sexual exploitation of minors at the Shankaracharya's ashram and claimed to have submitted a CD containing evidence to the court. Furthermore, Yadav also attacked Jagadguru Rambhadracharya, highlighting that the complainant is his disciple. "If this (complainant) is his (Rambhadracharya) disciple, then I made a mistake by withdrawing the case that was once against Rambhadracharya; I should have sent him to jail," he said. "Disputes happen over ideas, but you stoop to such a level that you get such accusations made... That's why I'm saying this government is now beyond saving," Yadav added. Earlier on Saturday, while responding to the allegations, Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati had dismissed the charges, calling them "fabricated" and a direct hit on the institution of the Shankaracharya. He countered the complainant's credibility by alleging that Ashutosh Brahmachari is a registered history-sheeter at the Kandhla police station in Shamli district with a track record of filing false cases. The Shankaracharya framed the legal battle as an internal crisis, stating that the Hindu religion is under threat from "insiders" who seek to destroy its foundational institutions rather than from external forces. Following the court's order, a case will now be registered at the Jhunsi police station. The complaint was filed under Section 173(4) by Shakumbhari Peethadhishwar Ashutosh Brahmachari Maharaj, who sought the registration of an FIR and strict action in the matter. Ashutosh Brahmachari, who is associated with the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Mukti Nirman Trust and serves as Shakumbhari Peethadhishwar, alleged that minor children were exploited at the ashram of Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati and claimed to have submitted a CD containing evidence to the court. He had filed the application on January 28 after Jhunsi police allegedly failed to register a case against the accused. (ANI)
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