'One doesn’t become Yogi by wearing saffron dress': Akhilesh Yadav slams Adityanath over 'Shankaracharya' remark

Lucknow: The ongoing 'war of words’ between Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath and prominent Hindu seer Swami Avimukteshwaranand intensified further after the latter said that not everyone was authorized to write ‘Shankaracharya’ before his name and the former questioning the use of ‘Yogi’ before his (Adityanath) name.

Speaking in the state assembly on Friday, Adityanath said that the position of ‘Shankaracharya’ was highly respected. ‘’Everyone can’t use Shankaracharya before his name and even the Shankaracharya is not above the law,’’ he had said.

Avimukteshwaranand had been taking swipes at Adityanath after he was prevented from proceeding toward Ganga for the sacred dip on the occasion of ‘Mauni Amavsya’ at the ‘Magh Mela’ (an annual ritual) last month and the alleged manhandling of his disciples by the police.

Avimukteshwarananda had even said that Adityanath should prove that he was a ‘Hindu’.

Reacting to Adityanath’s remarks, the seer said on Saturday that once one became a ‘Yogi’, he could not assume any authority.

‘’Shankaracharyas don’t need any certificate from any politician,’’ he said, asking how come he (Adityanath) wrote ‘Yogi’ before his name as a ‘Yogi’ had nothing to do with the material world.

The seer also said that Adityanath had several criminal cases against him earlier but all of them were withdrawn after he came to power. ‘’If the law is same for everyone than hw come cases against him were withdrawn,’’ he asked.

Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav also joined the issue saying who allowed Adityanath to use ‘Yogi’ before his name.

‘’One doesn’t become Yogi simply by wearing saffron dress and piercing his ears,’’ Akhilesh said.