Talking to journalists on the sidelines of a religious event of the Sanatan Dharma Sabha in Ratlam city of Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday, the Shankaracharya (who heads one of the four Mutts established by Adi Shankaracharya) made it clear that he’s not going to Ayodhya for the January 22 event.

“Our Mutt has received the invite for the January 22 event in Ayodhya, which says that if I want to come there, I can come there maximum with one person. Even if I was allowed to be there with 100 people, I wouldn’t have gone there that day.”

“I’ve been going to Ayodhya in the past and will visit the same religious city in future also to get darshan of Lord Ram, particularly as the work which remained blocked for centuries is finally happening. But the installation of Ramlala’s idol in the temple should be done according to Shastriya Vidhi (principles of our Shastras). The jurisdiction of Govardhan Peeth/Mutt spans up to Prayag, but neither our advice nor our guidance was sought for the entire January 22 religious exercise,” he added.

“I’m not at all upset, but happy just like any other Sanatani Hindu, particularly as the current Prime Minister Narendra Modi doesn’t believe in portraying himself as secular. He is brave and takes pride in Hindutva and the concept of idol worship. He’s not a coward who portrays himself as secular. But what will I do there as the Shankaracharya, when Modiji (PM Modi) will touch the idol and install it there, will I clap and hail him.”

He also recounted how Narendra Modi had met him before taking oath as PM and frequent visits by UP CM Yogi Adityanath to him at least twice or thrice annually before the COVID-19 pandemic. “Former VHP president Late Ashok Singhal met me at least 70 times.”

While the Shankaracharya praised PM Modi for his commitment towards Hindutva, he also added, “The pilgrimages are now being turned into centers of tourism in the name of development which means that Teerth Sthals are being turned into Bhog Sthals, perhaps this what is being lapped up by the people also in the name of development.”

Meanwhile, former MP CM and present Congress MP Digvijaya Singh questioned in Indore, about why a new idol is being installed at the Ram Temple. “Major dispute pertained to the old idol of Ramlala, where is that idol?”

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Courtesy: TMIE & Aaj Tak.