NEW DELHI,20 Jan 2026 : For the second consecutive day, Congress spokesman Pawan Khera on Tuesday slammed insults to Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati
He blasted Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath calling him by his real name of Ajay Singh Bisht for a notice at midnight to the Shankaracharya questioning his status as the religious leader.
He was referring to the police preventing his “shahi snan” in the Ganga at Prayagraj on Sunday on the Mauni Amavasya and beating up his disciples taking him to the river for the holy bath.
Khera told a press conference here that for the last 48 hours, the greatest saint of the Hindu religion is sitting on a dharna without eating or taking water and instead of apologising to him, the UP Government has questioned his authority as a Shankaracharya.
Instead of going and apologising to him, they are trying to serve him a notice in the middle of the night, challenging the fact that he is a Shankaracharya.
Khera asked: “Does any government, any DM, any police commissioner, any chief minister, any prime minister have any right to question the status of the Shankaracharya?”
He said this is against all Hindu traditions. What is happening is unprecedented, he said.
Khera said: “Every single Hindu across the world is watching what is happening in Uttar Pradesh. These people are sinners. They will never be forgiven.”
The Congress also carried a poster on its website that calls for protecting the Hindu religion and Sanatani culture from the BJP.
In reply to a question, Khera slammed the BJP for playing leadership game in the party with Nitim Nabin declared the party president with a farce of the elections. He said such a game by the ruling party on the day the Shankaracharya is on dharna at Prayagraj is a matter of shame and disgust.
