Mohan Bhagwat faces major pushback from seers: 'Dharmacharyas to decide matters of religion, not RSS'

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday advised Hindus to refrain from raking up temple-mosque disputes across the country. (File Photo: PTI)

The controversy over Rashtriya Swayamseva Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat's recent remarks advising Hindus to refrain from raking up temple-mosque disputes across the country refuses to die down.

Close on the heels of the strong disagreement expressed by Jagadguru Swami Rambhadracharya and Swami Avimukteshwarananda, the Shankaracharya of the Jyotish Peeth in Uttarakhand, Bhagwat's remarks came in for more criticism on Monday from Hindu seers' organisation Akhil Bharatiya Sant Samiti (AKSS).

AKSS general secretary Swami Jitendranand Saraswati said matters of religion need to be decided upon by dharmacharyas (religious gurus) and not a 'cultural organisation' like the RSS.

"When the subject of religion arises, it is for religious gurus to decide. And whatever they decide will be accepted by Sangh and VHP," Saraswati said, adding that temple structures have been identified at 56 new sites despite Bhagwat's comments.

Religious organisations, he said, acted in response to public sentiment rather than political agendas.

The remarks by the AKSS came two days after Jagadguru Rambhadracharya expressed strong disagreement with Bhagwat's remarks. "I completely disagree with Mohan Bhagwat’s statement. Let me make it clear, Mohan Bhagwat is not our disciplinarian, but we are," he said on Sunday.

Jagadguru Rambhadracharya's remarks followed a similar take by Swami Avimukteshwarananda, the Shankaracharya of the Jyotish Peeth. "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.

Delivering a lecture on ‘India – The Vishwaguru’ in Pune last Thursday, Bhagwat said "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".

"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."

Bhagwat's remarks came in response to Hindu groups filing several petitions seeking surveys of mosques which they claim were built on temple sites destroyed by Muslim invaders. The recent clashes reported in Sambhal, UP, were linked to a similar petition against the Shahi Jama Masjid.