A day after Juna Akhada's Mahant Narayan Giri questioned Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati for his support to Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, Mahant Raju Das of Ayodhya's Hanumangarhi Temple condemned the seer. Mahant Raju Das said in a viral video that Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati did not question the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief when sadhus were lynched by a vigilante group in Palghar in 2020.
He also said the controversial Hindu seer should officially join politics as he is so worried about Uddhav Thackeray being "betrayed" by the BJP and not being able to become the CM. "You are concerned about Uddhav Thackeray getting his CM chair but you didn't demand answers from him on the horrific lynching of Palghar sadhus?" the Hanumangarhi Temple priest said.
He also questioned the seer for supporting those leaders who made anti-Hindu comments such as equating the religion to dengue and malaria.
"You are supporting people who are allied with those who call Sanatana Dharma dengue?" he asked. He also questioned Swami Avimukteshwaranand for supporting Mamata Banerjee and asked, "Where is your responsibility as a Shankaracharya?"
His comments came after Mahant Narayan Giri said that it was in fact Uddhav Thackeray who betrayed not only Hindus but also Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis. He was alluding to Shiv Sena's alliance with the Congress and NCP despite being in a pre-poll alliance with the BJP.
He said he respects the Shankaracharya but added that nobody was above the nation, faith and society. "Who are we to decide victory or defeat? Our job is to do prayers. We are calling somebody a betrayer...saints should give such statements after careful thinking," he said.
After meeting Thackeray at his residence 'Matoshree', Swami Avimukteshwaranand expressed his concern over the political 'betrayal' faced by the former Chief Minister of Maharashtra. He talked about the values of the Hindu religion, particularly the concepts of punya (virtue) and paap (sin) while categorising betrayal as one of the gravest sins.