On the eve of Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha, Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati heaped praises on Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling him brave and one who stands firmly for the Hindus.
Speaking with News agency ANI, the Shankaracharya of JyotirMath asserted that there has not been any Prime Minister in independent India who has been so brave and stood firmly for Hindus as PM Modi did. He added that the self-respect of Hindus has awoken after Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister noting that it is not a small feat.
He said, “The truth is, with Narendra Modi becoming the Prime Minister, Hindus’ self-respect has awoken. This is not a small thing. We have said it several times publically, we are not anti-Modi but Modi’s admirers. We admire him because which other Prime Minister in independent India has been so brave, someone who stands firm for the Hindus?… We are not criticising anyone but he is the first such PM who supports Hindu sentiments..”
#WATCH | Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati says, "The truth is, with Narendra Modi becoming the Prime Minister, Hindus' self-respect has awoken. This is not a small thing. We have said it several times publically, we are not anti-Modi but Modi's admirers. We admire him… pic.twitter.com/pVWXxNhigQ
— ANI (@ANI) January 21, 2024
The Shankaracharya blamed the media for portraying him as anti-Modi. He also highlighted and lauded several achievements of the Modi government including abrogation of Article 370, Citizenship Amendment Act, Swachhta Abhiyan, and maintaining Law and order among other things adding that they welcome all these achievements of the Modi government.
He added, “As Hindus, we are against? What are you saying? You, the media, have just one agenda – prove us anti-Modi. Tell me, when the PM, through his Home Minister, abrogated Article 370, didn’t we welcome it?…”
Earlier, he gave a string of interviews to left-wing portals and BBCs of the world where he had criticised PM Modi and the scheduled mega-event of Ram Lalla’s Pran Pratishtha on 22nd January. In his interaction with leftist portals, he had earlier claimed that as a Prime Minister of a secular country, PM Modi couldn’t participate in the mega-consecration ceremony.
"Modi ji is PM hence he should be secular and shouldn't participate in #RamMandirPranPratishta – Avimukteshwarnand"
— Mr Sinha (@MrSinha_) January 20, 2024
Of-course, secular PMs should participate in Iftari only.. 🤡 pic.twitter.com/qyDGG8O78T
Additionally, in his interactions, he accused the Ram Mandir Trust of not following Hindu scriptures in the historic event adding that it shouldn’t have been done in an “incomplete Ram Mandir”.
Further, he had recently written a letter to Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust where he objected to the Pran Pratishtha of a new idol of Shri Ram in place of the existing idol of Shri Ram Lalla which was discovered at the Ram Janmabhoomi in 1949.
Notably, a clarification has already been issued by the trust in this regard nearly a year ago. The row came at a time when the controversy over the Shankaracharya’s refusal to attend the Pran Pratishtha had barely settled.
However, following his interviews with leftists and Hindu-baiters, he faced a massive backlash from Hindus who highlighted the past incidences of the ones to whom he sat for interviews to criticise PM Modi. Now, on the eve of the much-awaited Pran Pratishtha, he has showered praises on PM Modi.
