Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat's suggestion to Hindu society, asking them to refrain from raking up issues of temple-mosque disputes, has drawn a barrage of criticism. Prominent Hindu seers, including Shankaracharyas and religious gurus, have slammed Bhagwat for his remarks and suggested that the RSS does not hold any authority to decide matters of religion related to Hindus.
Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati, the Shankaracharya of the Jyotish Peeth in Uttarakhand, is the latest to launch a critique of Bhagwat against his remarks. "Mohan Bhagwat does not understand the plight of Hindus...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," the Shankaracharya said on Wednesday.
Last Thursday, Bhagwat had expressed concern over the resurgence of temple-mosque disputes and sought to attribute such instances to individuals who believed they could become "leaders of Hindus" by raking up such matters.
"After the construction of the Ram Temple, some people have started to believe that they can become Hindu leaders by raking up similar issues in new places," Bhagwat said while delivering a lecture on ‘India – The Vishwaguru’ in Pune.
"This is not acceptable... We have been living in harmony for a long time. If we want to provide this harmony to the world, we need to create a model of it," he said. "No one will become a Hindu leader by raking up temple-mosque disputes and spreading communal divide."
Reacting to Bhagwat's remarks, Swami Avimukteshwaranand said that ordinary Hindus do not aspire to become leaders. "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," he said.
Bhagwat's remarks came in for criticism from other religious leaders as well. On Sunday, Jagadguru Swami Rambhadracharya expressed strong disagreement with Bhagwat's views. "I completely disagree with Mohan Bhagwat’s statement. Let me make it clear, Mohan Bhagwat is not our disciplinarian, but we are," Swami Rambhadracharya said speaking to news agency IANS.
The remarks were also condemned by the Akhil Bharatiya Sant Samiti (AKSS), a prominent organization of Hindu seers. "When the subject of religion arises, it is for religious gurus to decide. And whatever they decide will be accepted by Sangh and VHP," AKSS general secretary Swami Jitendranand Saraswati said, adding that temple structures have been identified at 56 new sites despite Bhagwat's comments.
Notably, this is the second time that Bhagwat has come in for criticism from Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwarananda over the same remarks. Last week, the Jyotish Peeth Shankaracharya accused Bhagwat of raising issues depending on convenience.
"Mohan Bhagwat speaks according to his convenience. When he needed votes, then he kept speaking only on temples and is now saying Hindus should not look for temples," he said.
"Hindus have faced several atrocities. Temples were destroyed. If Hindus want that such temples be resurrected, there is nothing wrong with it," he added.
The RSS chief's comments came in the wake of several petitions related to temple-mosque disputes being filed in Uttar Pradesh. These include the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal, Budaun's Jama Masjid Shamsi, Atala Masjid in Jaunpur and the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi.
The petitioners in most of these cases have demanded a survey by the Archaeological Survey of India to determine whether the mosques were built at sites where Hindu temples once stood.
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