Author: Debabrata Mohanty
Publication: The Indian Express
Date: September 6, 2008
URL: http://www.indianexpress.com/story/357786.html
Shankaracharya of Puri Goverdhan Peeth Swami
Neeschalananda Saraswati on Friday slammed the Naveen Patnaik Government and
leaders of all political parties, calling them enemies of the Hindu religion
as the state Government sealed all entry points to Kandhamal district ahead
of a prayer meeting held for slain VHP leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati.
"After Laxmanananda was killed, Naveen
never came to meet me. If Narendra Modi were the Chief Minister, he would
have acted better. Naveen... has no respect for Hindu sentiments," said
the Shankaracharya at Puri.
"Top national politicians are working
against Hinduism and want to further the interests of Christianity. The Centre
is bending backwards to appease Christians," he alleged. The RSS and
VHP are "useless" when it comes to protecting Hindus, he added.
The Shankaracharya said he was hurt by the
distorted portrayal of Laxmanananda as a radical. "He only opposed conversion
in Kandhamal. That's why he was killed," he alleged.
Meanwhile, additional security forces were
sent to Kandhamal ahead of the proposed 'Kalas Puja' of Laxmanananda on Sunday
at Chakapada ashram, where he had worked for the last 40 years.
"Entry points to Kandhamal have been
sealed from today to stop entry of anti-social elements to the district as
a step to prevent any untoward incident," said RDC Satyabrata Sahu.
