Senior VHP leader Ashok Singhal at the ‘Dharmaraksha Sangamam’ held in Kochi on Sunday. Shivagiri Mutt chief Prakasananda Swamiji and other religious leaders look on | Suresh Nampoothiri
Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Ashok Singhal has alleged that there is an international conspiracy to defame the image of spiritual saints and mutts in the country.
He added that spiritual leaders like Mata Amritanandamayi are pure like the river Ganga.
“Amma’s goodness cannot be polluted by any fundamentalists through such conspiracies,” Singhal said while addressing the Dharmaraksha Sangamam here on Sunday. The mass congregation of leaders of Hindu religious outfits and heads of various mutts across the country was organised by the Dharma Rakshavedi in Marine Drive.
“We should strongly condemn such illegitimate attempts to demean Hindu heritage and spiritual leaders. The current events must be seen as part of a larger international conspiracy against the Hindu religion,” Singhal said.
He said that a Greek woman, who was close to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, had once said that Sonia believed the greatest threat to secular governance was from the ‘saffron mahatmas’ who command greatest respect among Hindus.
“The Greek lady was herself a devotee of Sathya Sai Baba. She told this to Baba and he conveyed it to me,” he said.
“The first target was Kanchi Sankaracharaya in 2004, who was arrested on charges of murder. However, he came out unscathed after nine years when the Puducherry Principal District andSessions Court acquitted him in the case,” Singhal said.
“In the same way, allegations have been raised against Sadhvi Pragya Bharati and she has been languishing in jail for more than five years. In the 6,000-page chargesheet, her name was not mentioned even once,” he said.
He stressed the need for unity among the various sections of the Hindu community and various mutts.
“The allegations against the Mata Amritanandamayi Mutt are an insult to crores of Hindus and the community should come together and fight it,” he said.
“Due to the disunity in the Hindu society, the Hindu priests are defenceless and suffer humiliation. The need of the hour is a strong and united Hindu community,” Singhal said.
