Unholy conspiracy

Author: Dina Nath Mishra
Publication: The Pioneer

JagatGuru Shankaracharya of the Kanchipuram Peetham was arrested on Diwali day by the Jayalalithaa Government of Tamil Nadu, which claims to have solid and shocking proof against him. But practically nothing of this sort is contained in the State's report to the Centre. The Shankaracharya is no an ordinary seer. He is 69th peethadhipati of this revered peeth, which was established in 6th Century BC by Adi Shankaracharya.

Consider the facts: a 52-year-old man Sankararaman was murdered on September 3 at the Kanchi Vardhraj Perumal temple of Vishnu, about 5 km away from the Kanchikamkoti Math. Due to wrong reporting, the impression has been created as if he was killed on the Kanchikamkoti campus. Contrary to the impression created by the media, Sankararaman was never employed by the Kanchikamkoti Math. His father Anant Krishna Sharma of course was a close associate of the Parmacharya - the 68th Shankaracharya of the Kanchipuram Peeth. Sankararaman started his career as a ticket collector at the Vardhraj Perumal Temple. Eventually, he became manager of the temple and took some tough measures. After his murder, the police suspected some DMK persons, who had a land dispute with the temple. They also suspected some people who were supposed to have stolen gold from the temple.

The late Sankararaman had filed a petition in 2001 in the Madras High Court seeking to restrain Jayendra Saraswati from visiting China. On July 6, 2004 he is also said to have written against Jayendra Saraswati to the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment department.

It is his letter dated August 30, 2004, that the Nakeeran magazine has published that has become the bone of contention. Nakeeran and its editor were closely associated with sandalwood smuggler Veerapan and also to the DMK. It is also no secret that in the last Lok Sabha elections, Veerapan and his gang supported DMK in some constituencies. After the letter was published, DMK leader Karunanidhi threatened a major agitation for action action against Jayendra Saraswati on the Nakeeran allegations, setting of fears of a serious law and order situation, given the volatile Tamil politics.

But such an incident can only happen with a Hindu seer. Can anybody in India imagine the Cardinal being arrested on the X-mas eve or a Muslim cleric being arrested on Eid day. We all know that Imam Bukhari of Jama Masjid could not be touched despite half-a-dozen non-bailable warrants of a serious nature.

It is also known that police can frame anybody on the flimsiest of grounds. The public prosecutor has said Jayendra Saraswati was planning to flee to Nepal to avoid detention. Can anybody imagine someone under 'Z' security, and that too a seer of a high order, fleeing. Now, the story has been spread that Sri Saraswati had drawn lakhs of rupees from the ICICI bank to pay off hired killers, when the fact is that the Kanchipitham does not have an account with the said bank. A rumour was planted about his conversation on cell phone with the so-called killers. Probably the midnight arrest drama was enacted to confiscate the cell phone. But the cellphone talk does not hold ground as yet. Five self-proclaimed killers surrendered to the police, but one of them was in jail on the day of killing. One of them, took the name of Jayendra Saraswati. One can understand the credibility of the conspiracy.

In a country where even terrorists enjoy human rights, a Hindu seer is subjected to extreme inhuman treatment. Sri Saraswati is the first Shankaracharya more than 200 years to be ordained in the Kanchipuram Peeth. After taking over, he embarked upon social service through educational and medical institutions.

Perhaps, it was not liked by either Karunanidhi or Jayalalithaa. The conspiracy is to usurp the mighty peetham by hook or crook. who would care for Hindus, if they do not care for the greatest of their seers? I have seen many editorials talking about the supremacy of the law. Nobody can dispute it, but politicians and police can misuse the law even to frame someone like Sri Saraswati. The manner in which he has been treated has been condemned by even Muslim and Christian clerics. If the conspiracy is not defeated, the loser will not be Jayendra Saraswati or the Kanchipeetham but the entire Hindu society and India as well.