Swami Govindananda Saraswati launched a scathing attack on Swami Avimukteshwaranand, reportedly the Shankaracharya of the Jyotish Peeth in Uttarakhand, terming him a “liar” and “cheat and a “toy” of the Congress.
In a statement Swami Govindananda Saraswati asserted, “There is no doubt that he (Swami Avimukteshwaranand) is a Congress toy if you doubt it, I have evidence,” Swami Govindananda Saraswati told IANS.
“I am sitting in Delhi and challenging Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and I am challenging Mukteshwaranand who is also sitting in Delhi.
Whenever I raised questions against him, he always used to escape, but finally, he got caught,” he said.
Referring to a letter purportedly from Priyanka Gandhi Vadra addressed to Swami Avimukteshwaranand on official Congress letterhead, Swami Govindananda Saraswati questioned her recognition of Avimukteshwaranand as Shankaracharya.
He further alleged that Swami Avimukteshwaranand had presented this letter in court to bolster his claim to the Shankaracharya title, which the Supreme Court halted in October 2022.
Swami Govindananda Saraswati criticized Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and the Congress party's decision-making authority in appointing Shankaracharyas, labeling it as incompetent and unqualified.
“See how foolish this is..” he said, questioning Priyanka Gandhi and the Congress’ competence to declare Swami Avimukteshwaranand as a Shankaracharya.
He accused Swami Avimukteshwaranand of deceitfully presenting himself as universally recognized, even prompting legal action from the Shankaracharya of Puri, who contested Avimukteshwaranand's claims in court.
Accusing Priyanka Gandhi and the Congress of “playing games” on the issue, he said: “I will give a 15-day ultimatum to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for a public apology, otherwise, I will file a case against her.”
The tensions between the two Swamis and their involvement with political figures highlight ongoing disputes within religious institutions and their intersections with political influence.
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