Mohan Bhagwat's Remark On 'Mandir-Masjid' Faces Backlash From Shankaracharya, Seer Cites 'Plight Of Hindus'

RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat has faced criticism from a prominent spiritual leader over his recent comments opposing the revival of temple-mosque disputes.

"Mohan Bhagwat does not understand the plight of Hindus," remarked Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati on Wednesday.

Photo Credit: PTI

"Several Hindu temples are being demolished. This is the truth. He is not feeling the pain of Hindus. It is clear from his statement. He does not truly understand the plight of Hindus," he stated.

On December 19, the RSS chief expressed concerns about the resurgence of temple-mosque controversies, suggesting that some individuals, following the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, seem intent on becoming "leaders of Hindus" by raising such issues.

"Mohan Bhagwat has claimed that some people raise these issues to become leaders, but I want to clarify that ordinary Hindus do not aspire to become leaders," Swami Avimukteshwaranand responded.

During a lecture in Pune titled "India - The Vishwaguru", as part of the Sahjeevan Vyakhyanmala (lecture series), Bhagwat advocated for an "inclusive society."

"Raking up new issues every day for disdain and enmity should not be done. What is the solution here? We should show the world that we can live in harmony, so we should have a little experiment in our country," he said.

His remarks sparked a political controversy, with Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav asserting that the RSS chief should direct his call for "harmony" towards the BJP. "If he even makes a call to the chief minister (Yogi Adityanath), then there will be no survey and no such controversy," Yadav stated.

Congress general secretary and communications in-charge Jairam Ramesh criticised Bhagwat's comments, describing them as "double standards."

Uttar Pradesh has recently witnessed a spate of litigations in various courts concerning temple-mosque disputes, including Sambhal's Shahi Jama Masjid, Budaun's Jama Masjid Shamsi, Atala Masjid in Jaunpur, and the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi, where Hindu petitioners have sought permission to pray, claiming that ancient temples once stood at these sites.

In November, clashes erupted between protesters and police over a court-ordered survey of the Jama Masjid in Sambhal, resulting in five deaths and dozens of injuries.

The violence triggered a significant political row and prompted the Supreme Court to intervene, halting the survey and advising the mosque's management committee to approach the Allahabad High Court.