Author: Statesman News Service
Publication: The Statesman
Date: June 15, 2009
URL: http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=9&theme=&usrsess=1&id=258097
Emphasising the need to protect India's tradition,
culture and religious values, Sankaracharya of Puri Gobardan Math, Swami Nischalanand
Saraswati, blamed the political class for carrying forward a distorted development
agenda which is destroying the nation.
It is "vinash" and not "vikas"
that is taking place, he observed, while talking to reporters here and insisting
that India has turned directionless. He went on to refer to the Ram Setu controversy
and the conversions that are taking place.
"Why is it that conversion is deemed
not a problem in our neighborhood, be it due to the influence of Pakistan
or China?" he questioned, before announcing that the politics of the
'vote bank' is squarely responsible for allowing large scale conversion to
take place.
The seer went on to express concern over the
onslaught on the Hindu religion and culture as well as the attacks on religious
leaders. Responding to questions on the recent murder of a head of one of
the ashrams in Puri, he said it was "a matter of concern" that the
state government is unable to protect sadhus.
"A couple of years ago, I used to take
pride in telling people across the country about the safety of Puri. I used
to say that even at 2.00 a.m. one could walk around Puri without any fear.
But I can't say the same thing now."
Answering questions on the suspected links
between Maoists and a religious group, the Puri seer said it was for the Chief
Minister to spell this out. "Ask the CM, why are you asking me?"
demanded the seer, before adding that he was not bothered about threat letters
being sent to him.
"The CM should say who killed Laxmanananda
Saraswati and who was behind the murder. Laxmanananda was attacked on nine
previous occasions and he had escaped, but the tenth attack was committed
by trained and armed people. This indicates that somebody had conspired and
engaged trained people to eliminate Laxmanananda," he said.
