Conspiracy in Govt's move to enact law to control ashrams: Sannyasin

Kochi, May 24 (UNI) A group of sannyasins today alleged there was a conspiracy behind the Kerala Government's move to enact a law to control the ashrams to crack down on 'bogus swamis' in the state.

Speaking to reporters, after the meeting of seven sanyasins here, Swami Garudadwajanantha Theerthapdar of the Vazhoor ashram said ''we are supporting the Government's effort to bring 'fraud swamis' to book, but the prevailing trend of tagging all swamis and sannyasins as bogus was condemnable.'' He said the Government's statement that it would enact a law to control the working of the ashrams in the state was against an individual's freedom to practice any religion in the country.

''By enacting the law, the government is trying to take control of the ashrams' assets ,'' he alleged.

''Kerala was the land of Sankara, Chattambhiswami, Chinmaya and Gurudevan and we have a tradition as far as sannyasins are concerned,'' he added.

UNI MA GKT ATI VC1911