Orissa govt fails to protect Swamiji: Puri seer

Puri, Aug 24 (UNI) Sankeracharya of Puri Gobardhan peeth Swamy Nischalananda Saraswati today blamed the Orissa government and the police for their failure to protect the life of VHP leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati.

In a strong worded statement issued here the Puri seer said it was the result of a well organised conspiracy by the anti-Hindu forces to eliminate the saint who was working hard in the forests to preach the values of Hindu religion and rendering social service to the tribal people.

The Puri Sankaracharaya said though the state government was well aware of the sinister designs of the conspirators, it did not take any action to save his life.

The seer said the Swamiji was instrumental in bringing back scores of tribal families into Hindu fold who were converted to Christianity in the recent past adding that he stood like a rock on the way of anti-Hindu forces and preventing the Hindu populace from conversion to Christianity.

Swamy Laxmanananda, the Puri seer had intimated the state and the police over threat to his life by the anti-indu forces recently but strangely the police did not take adequate steps to protect a great seer Acharya rued.

The Sankaracharya demanded a probe into the killings to unearth the conspirators and killers, and said those resorted to violence should be booked for murder.

The Gajapati king Divyashingh Dev of Puri in a statement also condemned attack on the Ashram and killing of the Swamiji saying that it was an act of cowardice and shocking.

Describing Laxmanananda Saraswati as a champion of Hindu religion who was relentlessly working in tribal areas to promote and upheld the values of the Hinduism, the Gajapati king said the state should conduct a detailed inquiry into the killings and take stringent action against all those involved in this gruesome act.

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