New Delhi: Two of Hinduism’s key religious heads on Wednesday opposed Narendra Modi’s bid for prime-ministership, calling him a “grave sinner” trying to “mislead” the nation. The two pontiffs – one heads the Puri peeth (seat) of the Advaita school of Hindu philosophy, while the other leads its Dwarka chapter questioned Modi’s role in the 2002 communal riots and his use of “illegal money” in these elections.
Swami Adhokshjan Devtirth of the Puri seat said he would travel to Varanasi in the first week of May to campaign against Modi among the city’s religious establishment. He said he would visit the key institutions of Kashi Vidyat Parishad, Varanasi ‘mattadhish’ and Adi Shankarcharya Dharmothyan Sansad. He said he would extend invitation to Islamic scholars too.
“For me Modi is grave sinner who has committed the highest sin in Hinduism, which is murder. He has blood on his hands and face,” said Swami Adhokshjan Devtirth. Modi is often accused of giving rioters a freehand at the time but several inquiries have found insufficient evidence to charge him.
The head of the Dwarka seat, Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati, has accused Modi of giving the wrong impression to people about his “humble origins”. “Modi today is not the tea-seller but a wealthy billionaire,” he said.
Saraswati had earlier raised objections to “Har Har Modi“, a campaign slogan used by Modi’s supporters, because it was a rip-off of a religious incantation for Hindu God Shiva.
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