Prove You're Hindu By Stopping Cow Slaughter In UP By March 10: Shankaracharya Challe
Prove You're Hindu By Stopping Cow Slaughter In UP By March 10: Shankaracharya Challenges CM Yogi
M.U.H
30/01/202621
Varanasi: Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati, who left the Prayagraj Magh Mela on Wednesday (January 28), launched a scathing attack on Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath upon reaching Varanasi. Speaking to the media on Friday, he said, "We are giving the Chief Minister 40 days to prove his Hindu antecedents, by March 10. On March 11, we will decide if the CM is a true Hindu leader or a fake one, who is deceiving people by wearing saffron robes like Kalnemi (a demon in Hindu mythology)."
On the backdrop of the ongoing tensions between the Shankaracharya of the Jyotirmath in Uttarakhand, and the Mela administration, which reports to Yogi Adityanath, the mahant of Gorakhnath Math in Gorakhpur, this fresh broadside by the former is expected to fan the flames of the dispute further.
The Shankaracharya also announced that he won't be taking a holy dip in Prayagraj on Magh Purnima. He said, "Those who wish to bathe with me, can come to Varanasi. On Magh Purnima, we will take a holy dip amid chants of 'Jai Gau Mata' to fulfill our vow."
"The government is persecuting my fellow cow devotees," the Swami said, adding, "Until now, information was being circulated on WhatsApp that the [Indira Gandhi-led Congress] government did not want to stop cow slaughter in 1966 [during the RSS-led anti-cow slaughter agitation]. That's why they ordered firing on cow devotees, and harassed Dharma Samrat Swami Karpatri Ji Maharaj and his devotees."
He went on to say, "But now, when we have raised our voice against the killing of Gau Mata, this government is harassing cow devotees. There is no difference between the government of that time [1966] and the one of today."
"We'll continue the agitation, without being deterred," he also added.
Launching another attack on the UP CM, he said, "Yogi Adityanath and his backers, including Rambhadracharya, have closed ranks to launch attacks on those demanding cow slaughter ban. But we will continue to raise our voice for cow protection, till the cow is given the status of Mother of the Nation."
Responding to the queries about his status as Shankaracharya, the Swami said, "I was asked to provide proof of whether I'm the Shankaracharya within 24 hours, or be banned from the Mela for life. This from a person who risked his life to popularise Kumbh and Magh melas. Now, the government that was formed with my support is asking me for documentary proof of my saintly status, when I have arrived here wearing one item of clothing. And still, we gave them the proof the sought, that too, within 24 hours. So now they have been sitting on it for 15 days without reacting."
"Now, you (Yogi) will have to give proof of what you are. Are you a Hindu? Because if you were, there would be no cow slaughter in UP. You have been in power for a long time, during which, cow slaughter has increased."
The Shankaracharya then said, "A Chola king had once sentenced his own son to death after a calf was crushed under his chariot. That is what true Hinduism is. The first step of Hinduism is cow protection. You [Yogi] are not even fulfilling that."
Ruminating on UP's meatpacking and export industry, he further said, "40 per cent of all the cow meat exported from India comes from UP. Around 1.25 crore cows are slaughtered here annually. The unofficial figure is even higher. Over one lakh cows are slaughtered here daily. You can figure that out from the government figures. In every state, the total number of cows is higher. But in UP, it's the number of buffaloes, that too, by 75 per cent. This means there is a continuous decline in the number of cows in UP. While you claim to be trading in buffalo meat, you are actually slaughtering more cows here."
Still on UP, he said, "Stop trading in cow meat under the guise of buffalo meat. Whatever meat is being traded, should be tested. You [Yogi] must put an end to it while sitting in the CM's chair. If you don't ban cow slaughter by March 10, instead of going to Delhi at the invitation of Computer Baba, on March 11, all ascetics, mahants, and acharyas will gather in Lucknow to declare that you are a fake Hindu."
