'Uddhav Thackeray betrayed Hindus': Juna Akhada's Mahant Narayan Giri counters Shankaracharya
The Juna Akhada seer's video message came a day after the Shankaracharya visited 'Matoshree', the private residence of Thackeray, and blessed the former Maharashtra chief minister.


- Jul 16, 2024,
- Updated Jul 16, 2024 1:39 PM IST
A day after Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati, the Shankaracharya of the Jyotish Peeth in Uttarakhand, said Uddhav Thackeray was a victim of betrayal, Juna Akhada's Mahant Narayan Giri on Tuesday countered him, saying it was the Shiv Sena chief who betrayed Hindus and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Giri said that the Shankaracharya does not usually go to "saadharan aadmi" and industrialists' weddings. He said Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati went to meet Thackeray, who betrayed Devendra Fadnavis and joined the "vidharmis". The Juna Akhada seer said that Fadnavis was set to become the chief minister but Thackeray betrayed him. He was referring to Shiv Sena's alliance with Congress and NCP despite being in a pre-poll alliance with the BJP.
"Aise logo ke ghar par jakar, unko aashirvaad de rahe hai aur keh rahe ke unke saath dhokha hua hai. Dhokha to unhone diya hai. Uddhav Thackeray ne dhokha diya hai...Hindu samaj ko dhokha diya. (the Shankaracharya is visiting such people's residences and giving blessings. It was Uddhav Thackeray who betrayed Hindu Samaaj)," Giri said.
The Juna Akhada seer said he respects the Shankaracharya but added that nobody was above the rastra, dharma, samaj. "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 in an apparent reference to Shankaracharya's statement where he stated that he would like to see Thackeray as the chief minister again.
Targeting the Shankaracharya, Giri said Thackeray had joined hands with "vidharmis" but Saraswati visited his residence and blessed him, which he said was a betrayal of an entire Hindu samaj.
The Juna Akhada seer's video message came a day after the Shankaracharya visited 'Matoshree', the private residence of Thackeray, and blessed the former Maharashtra chief minister. "Uddhav Thackeray has been betrayed and many people are anguished by it. I met him today as per his request and told him that people's pain won't subside till he becomes the chief minister again," he said after meeting Thackeray.
Betrayal is the biggest sin, he said, adding, "The one who betrays can't be a Hindu. The one who tolerates betrayal is a Hindu. "The betrayal anguishes the entire populace of Maharashtra and this was reflected in the recent (Lok Sabha) elections," he said. "We don't have anything to do with politics, but we are talking about betrayal which is a sin as per religion."
Uddhav Thackeray had to resign as chief minister in June 2022 after Eknath Shinde walked out with most of the Shiv Sena MLAs to join the NDA.
A day after Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati, the Shankaracharya of the Jyotish Peeth in Uttarakhand, said Uddhav Thackeray was a victim of betrayal, Juna Akhada's Mahant Narayan Giri on Tuesday countered him, saying it was the Shiv Sena chief who betrayed Hindus and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Giri said that the Shankaracharya does not usually go to "saadharan aadmi" and industrialists' weddings. He said Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati went to meet Thackeray, who betrayed Devendra Fadnavis and joined the "vidharmis". The Juna Akhada seer said that Fadnavis was set to become the chief minister but Thackeray betrayed him. He was referring to Shiv Sena's alliance with Congress and NCP despite being in a pre-poll alliance with the BJP.
"Aise logo ke ghar par jakar, unko aashirvaad de rahe hai aur keh rahe ke unke saath dhokha hua hai. Dhokha to unhone diya hai. Uddhav Thackeray ne dhokha diya hai...Hindu samaj ko dhokha diya. (the Shankaracharya is visiting such people's residences and giving blessings. It was Uddhav Thackeray who betrayed Hindu Samaaj)," Giri said.
The Juna Akhada seer said he respects the Shankaracharya but added that nobody was above the rastra, dharma, samaj. "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 in an apparent reference to Shankaracharya's statement where he stated that he would like to see Thackeray as the chief minister again.
Targeting the Shankaracharya, Giri said Thackeray had joined hands with "vidharmis" but Saraswati visited his residence and blessed him, which he said was a betrayal of an entire Hindu samaj.
The Juna Akhada seer's video message came a day after the Shankaracharya visited 'Matoshree', the private residence of Thackeray, and blessed the former Maharashtra chief minister. "Uddhav Thackeray has been betrayed and many people are anguished by it. I met him today as per his request and told him that people's pain won't subside till he becomes the chief minister again," he said after meeting Thackeray.
Betrayal is the biggest sin, he said, adding, "The one who betrays can't be a Hindu. The one who tolerates betrayal is a Hindu. "The betrayal anguishes the entire populace of Maharashtra and this was reflected in the recent (Lok Sabha) elections," he said. "We don't have anything to do with politics, but we are talking about betrayal which is a sin as per religion."
Uddhav Thackeray had to resign as chief minister in June 2022 after Eknath Shinde walked out with most of the Shiv Sena MLAs to join the NDA.