Seer’s arrest defies all norms: Fernandes

Publication: Sify News

NDA convener George Fernandes on Tuesday lashed out at the way Kanchi seer Jayendra Saraswathi was arrested and said all kinds of human rights had been violated with the Shankaracharya’s arrest.

After calling on the seer at the central prison in Vellore, he told reporters: "There is human rights violation in many ways. The Supreme Court has given a decision as to how to deal with such persons. Apart from the Supreme Court decision and his own status as a religious head, the way he has been arrested defied every norm of investigation."

The meeting lasted for nearly 30 minutes.

Pointing out that the seer was in good health and good spirits, Fernandes said, "The way the pontiff was arrested and treated defies all norms. There has to be some decency and the arrest should be according to law."

The former Defence minister said he had known Shankaracharya for over 30 years. The pontiff told him that people outside should not take things to such levels when things became "problematic."

"All those who are upset with the arrest should remain united," was the seer’s plea, Fernandes said.