Author: BP
Publication: Organiser
Date: December 26, 2004
URL: http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=56&page=13
Thousands of people held a procession
last week to protest the arrest of Swami Jayendra Saraswati, Jagatguru
Shankaracharya of Kanchi Kamkoti Peeth. The people gathered at Subodh Mallick
Square of central Kolkata, from where the march began to end at Rani Rashmoni
Road. A large laminated photograph of Swami Jayendra Saraswati was displayed
at the site.
The sants representing the Bharat
Sevashram Sangh, Adyapith, Mahanam Sevak Sangh, Gouriya Matt, Uttam Ashram
and Pramarth Sadhak Sangh. Swami Ashokananda, secretary of Bharat Sevashram
Sangh, Swami Amare- swarananda (Bharat Sevashram Sangh, New York), Swami
Sadatmananda of Adyapith, Bandhugourab Bramhachari of Mahanam Sevak Sangh
and many prominent religious personalities, including Balkrishna Nayak,
international secretary of Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Swami Adhirananda
Saraswati of Sri Gurn Ashram participated in the march.
The meeting began with the speech
of Swami Ashokananda, secretary of Bharat Sevashram Sangh. He said that
a very bad period was going on for the Hindus of the country. "Swami Jayendra
Saraswati's arrest indicates that we must combine and organise ourselves
into a strong, joint voice against the atrocities committed against a high
ranked Hindu sanyasi like Shankaracharya."
Balkrishna Nayak described nexus
between the Tamil Nadu government and the Central Government. He said that
Swami Jayendra Saraswati, being a Shankaracharya, was above all a social
worker. "He had started various projects for uplift of the downtrodden
of our society as a result of which conversion had been curbed. He is now
suffering for his social work and has been placed behind bars," he regretted.
Ranendralal Banerjee ridiculed the
policy of both the state and Central Government. He stated that the government
of Tamil Nadu had stooped to a level to which the Muslim rulers had not
even done.
The protest was organised by Dharmaraksha
Samjukta Sangharsh Samiti.
