Shankaracharya of Badrinath seat, Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati has raised a concern over the 2022 gold-plating controversy in Kedarnath shrine alleging a 228 kilograms gold scam with no investigation being undertaken in the matter.

He said first, it was a gold scam in Kedarnath Shrine and now, they want to build the temple in Delhi.

“There has been a gold scam. Why don’t you journalists take up the issue? There happened a gold scam and now they will build Kedarnath Temple in Delhi. There will be another scam. As much as 228 kilograms of gold disappeared from Kedarnath. Under which law do they do this? Why doesn’t the media raise this issue? No probe has been ordered till date” alleged Avimukteshwaranand as he spoke to a section of media on Monday.

Avimukteshwaranand’s comment, seen in a video going viral, against the alleged missing gold-plating from the walls of Kedarnath temple sanctum sanctorum has revived the gold scam controversy that erupted in 2023.

It’s notable that local priests and purohits in Kedarnath have been persistently raising the gold scam issue after more than 200 kilograms of gold plating done inside the sanctum sanctorum went missing as a part of the wall was discovered charred with soot over a large area.

“It’s sad that the state government has failed to come clean on the gold scam. We hope the voice raised by Shankaracharya ushers in sagacity in the government. There is no doubt about 228 kilograms of gold went missing from Kedarnath temple sanctum sanctorum. Temple committee had issued a receipt of the gold plates provided to it by the donor businessman” said Vinod Shukla, a senior functionary of local priest’s body Kedar Sabha, told the Statesman.

Gold-plating on the four walls was carried out by a businessman from Mumbai in 2022. It was done in the presence of an expert team from Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). However, Badri-Kedar Temple Committee Chairman Ajeyndra Ajay had denied the charges, claiming that exact quantity of the gold-plating was not what’s being said. According to him, it weighed less than 220 kilograms.

The gold-plating was opposed by several local pandas at Kedarnath who claimed that the shrine was known as an abode of penance and salvation, and regarded as Muktidham, as per Sanatan traditions and beliefs.

According to them, ”being a place of salvation, gold-plating was not needed in the temple for it is considered as wordly glitter and decoration is not acceptable to Lord Shiva”.

Badrinath Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati is known for courting controversies with his statements from time to time. He was one of the prominent speakers against consecration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 22 as the temple structure was still under construction.