By Sushil Manav
In the poem ‘Amausa Ka Mela’ by Allahabad’s renowned poet Kailash Gautam, the essence of folk society is vividly portrayed through the various images and scenes of the Kumbh Mela. Despite the fact that saints and akharas would participate in the Kumbh earlier too, they were often overlooked by society, which is why it was primarily regarded as a folk festival. However, ever since the Haridwar Kumbh, communalism has increasingly influenced the Prayagraj Kumbh as well.
The Akhada Parishad initiated a campaign of communal division and animosity by prohibiting Muslims from participating in the mela. Furthermore, during a press conference at the fair, Akhara Parishad President Ravindra Puri called for the establishment of a Sanatan Board, asserting that this board would work to reclaim all maths and temples currently under Muslim control.
Shortly after this, Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati of Jyotish Peeth introduced a censure motion during his Dharma Sansad, targeting Lok Sabha leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi. He began his remarks with the question, “What is your [Muslim] role in my Kumbh?” He further demanded that Gandhi issue an apology within a month or face excommunication from Hinduism. It is important to highlight that on December 14 last year, Gandhi had addressed the Hathras rape case in the Lok Sabha, saying, “That those who commit rape should roam free, while the family of the victim is imprisoned – is written in your text, in Manusmriti, not in the Constitution.”
Previously, communal statements made during the Kumbh Mela rarely attracted media attention. However, this year, Yati Narasimhanand, who was seen alongside chief minister Yogi Adityanath at the event, garnered widespread coverage.
Narasimhanand serves as the Mahamandaleshwar of Juna Akhara, which boasts a membership of approximately 5,30,000. He recently organized a two-day ‘Dharma-Samvad’ program on January 25-26 within the Akhara, where he made hateful remarks.
Mahant Hari Giri, the chief patron of Juna Akhara, said that the organisation is deeply pained by the ongoing assaults on Sanatan Dharma. He emphasised that Juna Akhara is gearing up for a concerted effort to defend this faith. Senior sants within the Akhara are now mobilising young sanyasis to actively participate in the protection of their religious beliefs, he said.
This story was originally published in thewire.in. Read the full story here.
