Magh Mela serve notice to Swami Avimukteshwarananda asking him to prove Shankaracharya status

Lucknow: Prominent Hindu seer Swami Avimukteshwarananda, who has been on a ‘dharna’ in protest against refusal of the authorities to allow him to proceed to the ‘sangam’ (the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and mythical Sarswati rivers), at Prayagraj in his chariot for the holy dip on Mani Amavasya on Sunday and alleged manhandling of his disciples by the sops, has been served a notice by the ‘Magh Mela’ (an annual ritual on the bank of the Ganga) authorities asking him to prove that he was the ‘Shankaracharya’ of Jyotish Peeth.

The notice, which was pasted on the walls of his Camp on the Mela ground, gave him 24-hours to submit his reply.

The notice, according to the sources, said that Avimukteshwarananda claimed himself to be the ‘shankaracharya’ of the Jyotish Peeth despite there being a stay by the Supreme Court.

It said that Avimukteshwarananda was not yet anointed as the Shankaracharya yet the board outside his Camps mentioned him as the one, which was a violation of the apex court order.

Avimukteshwarananda, whose dharna continued for the third day on Tuesday, told reporters that the police had ‘misbehaved’ with him on the direction of Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath and alleged his disciples were assaulted by the police.

He has vowed not to enter his Ashram and unless the authorities tender an apology to him.

The authorities refuted the allegations and said that he was not allowed to go to the Sangam in his chariot as the area was already very crowded with devotees on Mauni Amavasya.