Author:
Publication: HSC Official Press
Release
Date: December 5, 2004
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The Hindu Students Council (HSC)
strongly condemns the manner in which His Holiness Sri Jayendra Saraswati
Swamiji, the Shankaracharya of the Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham, was arrested
on November 12, 2004. The arrest was carried out by a police detachment
from the state of Tamil Nadu at midnight on the night of Divali, the most
important day in the Hindu calendar, in the city of Mehboobnagar, located
in the neighboring state of Andhra Pradesh.
His Holiness Sri Jayendra Saraswati
Swamiji is the most visible, progressive, and revered leader of the worldwide
community of over one billion Hindus. He is the head of one of the most
ancient religious centers in India, the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham, which
can trace its lineage back more than 2500 years. He also carries the legacy
of Adi Shankaracharya, the most revered saint and reformer of the Hindu
religion, who established one of four authoritative seats of Hinduism (known
as mutts or peethams) at Kanchi Kamakoti.
HSC feels that the tactics used
by the police in this case demonstrated a complete disregard for the sensibilities
of the Hindu community. The police arrested His Holiness at midnight on
the day of Diwali, which is the most sacred day of the year for Hindus.
Furthermore, he was arrested in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh by a
detachment of police from the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, without being
given any notice of the charges filed against him by the Tamil Nadu government.
Finally, despite being an extremely well respected member of the Hindu
community, His Holiness was treated like any ordinary criminal and immediately
shifted to the Vellore jail; it would have been more appropriate if the
police were to interrogate him on all matters in the Sri Kanchi Kamakoti
Peetham itself.
For the Indian police to treat His
Holiness in this matter is tantamount to the Italian police arresting the
Pope on Christmas Eve. While we certainly do not endorse the notion that
His Holiness is above the law, his stature as the most visible and influential
leader of the Hindu religion should have been taken into consideration
by the authorities, and greater care should have been taken to respect
the religious beliefs of the world's Hindu community. We hope
that this disgraceful event ends very soon and the honor of our institutions
and spiritual heads such as the Kanchi Mutt and the revered Shankacharya
is restored as soon as possible.
Samir Y Rawal
President
Hindu Students Council
