Reiterating his stand that he will not participate in the ‘Pran Pratisha’ of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on 22 January, Puri Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati today said that political interference in religious and spiritual areas was not desirable and the Constitution does not allow this. “Politicians have their limits and they have responsibility under the Constitution.

There are rules and restrictions in the religious and spiritual domain and these rules should be followed. Interfering in every area by politicians is insanity. This is also a heinous crime according to the Constitution,” the Shankaracharya said. The Puri Shankaracharya made these remarks at Ganga Sagar Mela in West Bengal where he had come to participate in the annual ritualistic bath on the occasion of Makar Sankranti. He told journalists that as a Shankaracharya he also has certain limitations as to where he can go, what he can interfere with and what he can eat.

The Shankaracharya made it clear that according to him as far as ‘murti prastitha’ is concerned there are laid down rules as per scriptures and the head of state or the Prime Minister has to follow these rules. “Overstepping these rules for propagating one’s name is an act of rebellion against God… and going down the path of destruction,” the Shankaracharya said. He also made it clear that he is not upset with Ayodhya and he keeps going there but will not participate in the event of ‘Pran Pratishta’ of Ram Mandir on 22 January.

He also made it clear that there is no difference of opinion among the four Shankaracharyas as far as attending the inauguration ceremony of Ram Mandir on 22 January is concerned and he is not stopping anyone from attending the event. Swami Nischalananda Saraswati added that he was not angry with the government at the Centre but expressed regret that in the invitation to the inauguration ceremony of Ram temple, he was asked to arrive not alone but with a colleague.

The religious leader said that despite the religious and spiritual superiority of the Shankaracharyas, they are not given a place in the ‘garbh griha sanctum sanctorum’ of the temple and were instructed to stay outside. “This is not acceptable to me. I do not like watching the inauguration of Ram Temple sitting there and clapping at the event,” the Puri Shankaracharya said.

He also pointed out certain anomalies in the country’s political system and added that politicians seek votes on the ‘distress of the population’. Asked whether the Gangasagar Mela should be given a ‘National Mela’ status, the religious leader quipped and said that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee usually gifts clothes (Kurtas) to the Prime Minister. “If she makes the requests while offering these gifts, the Prime Minister might agree and declare the Ganga Sagar Mela a National Mela,” he said.

Meanwhile priests and monks from Kapil Muni Ashram said that around 50 members of their order will reach Ayodhya to participate in the Ram Temple inauguration ceremony from Kapil Muni Ashram in Sagar Island. “We shall take holy water of Sagar and prepare a special sweet for worshipping Ram Lala,” said Bijay Das Maharaj, priest of Kapil Muni Ashram.

“Our mahanta maharaj Swami Jnandas and other monks suffered a lot and observed immense austerity for constructing the Ram Temple. This is a golden time to offer our puja. At that time nobody from the political party came to find out about us,” he said