Haryana: Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati of Jyotirmath Peeth slammed the Central government for denying permission to hold a dharna at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan and questioned its commitment to cow protection. The dharna, scheduled for March 17, was cancelled despite prior permission, as authorities cited law and order concerns. Addressing the media at RS Public School in Karnal, Shankaracharya expressed disappointment, saying, “Lakhs of people were ready to participate, but the government’s last-minute refusal casts doubts on its sincerity on the issue.” He announced that he would wait till 5 pm on Monday for the government’s response, after which he would decide his next steps. Shankaracharya also vowed to personally contact leaders of all major political parties to know their stand on cow protection. “I will go door-to-door and ask them to publicly declare their position. So far only one leader of the Samajwadi Party has assured support, while others are silent,” he said. He criticised the government’s contradictory actions, citing reports of a rise in beef exports and cow slaughter. “While leaders claim to protect cows, data shows that 80,000 cows are slaughtered daily. This hypocrisy must end,” he said. The Shankaracharya linked cow protection to Hindu identity and urged Hindus to reclaim their pride. “A true Hindu cannot tolerate cow slaughter. If this continues, the idea of a Hindu nation has no meaning,” he said. When asked about self-styled spiritual leaders, he stressed the need for concrete contributions. “Every saint must demonstrate how they have benefited society. Words alone are not enough,” he said. He welcomed Dhirendra Shastri’s initiative to build a cancer hospital as a move away from superstition. The Shankaracharya linked his assessment of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s tenure to the issue of cow protection. He asked, “Since Independence, every leader has promised to stop cow slaughter, but it continues even after 78 years. Unless it ends, how can I evaluate a leader?” Shankaracharya’s remarks have reignited the debate on cow protection, and he plans to reach out to political leaders to keep the issue in the spotlight.
Haryana: Shankaracharya criticises government for refusing to allow protest on cow protection
