Prayagraj: Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh reached Prayagraj after learning that the health of Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand had deteriorated. Singh met the Shankaracharya, enquired about his condition and strongly condemned the incident in which the senior seer was allegedly stopped from taking a holy dip at the Sangam during Mauni Amavasya at the Magh Mela.
Calling the episode deeply distressing and unfortunate, Sanjay Singh said the incident had shaken the religious conscience of the entire country. He described the alleged assault on the Shankaracharya’s disciples, the humiliation meted out to them and the act of preventing a 90-year-old saint from performing Sangam Snan as a “grave sin” and an “unpardonable crime” committed by the Uttar Pradesh government and administration.
Singh expressed strong objection to reports that Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand was asked to provide proof of being a Shankaracharya. “Asking a Shankaracharya for proof is an insult to religion, faith and centuries-old Hindu traditions,” he said. He questioned how authorities could demand proof from a revered religious leader when the Prime Minister himself has touched the Shankaracharya’s feet on public occasions. “When he is praised, he is a Shankaracharya; when he criticises the government, proof is demanded. This reflects a double standard and authoritarian mindset,” Singh added.
The AAP MP said that the identity of a Shankaracharya is determined by religious traditions and scriptures, not by politicians, police officers or administrative officials. He remarked that those who have failed to present their own academic credentials were now questioning the spiritual authority of a Shankaracharya.
Recalling past associations, Singh said he had stood with Swami Avimukteshwaranand during movements for the clean and uninterrupted flow of the Ganga and during campaigns against cow slaughter. He noted that the Shankaracharya has consistently raised his voice against policies he considers harmful to religion and tradition, irrespective of which party is in power. “This independent and fearless stand is what troubles those in authority,” Singh said.
Sanjay Singh also questioned the Prayagraj administration, pointing out that the same Shankaracharya had earlier been allowed to perform rituals alongside other Shankaracharyas during major religious events. “Why is his status questioned only when he criticises the government?” he asked.
Speaking emotionally, Singh said the incident had caused him deep pain. He stated that he had come to Prayagraj not as a political leader, but as a supporter standing in solidarity with the Shankaracharya. “The Aam Aadmi Party stands firmly with Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand and will support his movement with full strength,” he asserted.
Referring to his own experiences, Singh said that he too had faced FIRs for opposing the demolition of ancient temples in Varanasi in the name of development projects. He questioned whether raising issues related to religion and heritage had now become a crime.
In his interaction with the media, Sanjay Singh reiterated that dragging a 90-year-old saint, assaulting his disciples and denying him a holy bath at the Sangam was a serious wrongdoing on the sacred land of Prayagraj. He held the Uttar Pradesh government and administration fully responsible and said the Aam Aadmi Party would not remain silent against what it described as an attack on faith, tradition and religious dignity.
