A saint can be ‘mahant’ but not CM: Seer on Yogi Adityanath

Apparently talking about Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, a prominent seer of Prayagraj said on Monday that a saint cannot be a chief minister because after taking the oath of secularism as a constitutional dignitary, he cannot stay “religious”. CM Adityanath is also the current mahant of Gorakhnath temple in the state’s Gorakhpur.

The statement was made by Swami Avimukteshwaranand in reply to a query on Adityanath’s status as a saint and mahant.

“No man can abide by two pledges. A saint can be a ‘mahant’ but not a chief minister or prime minister. This is possible in the ‘khilafat’ system of Islam in which the religious head also happens to be the king,” the seer, attending the Magh fair on the banks of the Ganga, said, reported PTI.

The swami also expressed concern over the alleged mismanagement in organising the Magh fair in Prayagraj this year.

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“The Magh fair has been greatly ignored this year. Some saints have gone to extent of threatening fast and self-immolation too. If the leaders are busy in elections, can’t the government officials properly manage the fair?” he asked.

On the sudden rise of water level in the Ganga, inconveniencing the saints, Swami Avimukteshwaranand asked: “Why is the water level not being controlled when the government has the mechanism to regulate the flow in rivers?”

“Because of the sudden rise in the water level, many people had to shift their tents,” he said.

On the alleged interference of politics in religion, the seer accused all political parties of transgressing into religion. He said the trend is no longer limited to merely having ties with saints and seers but parties are installing their own men on key religious positions.

According to him, the political parties are doing this to advance their own views and interests.

Some people in the country want religious gurus to speak in their language, he said, adding: “That is why the people propagating religion following its ‘old books’ are irritating them (the political parties) and a policy to remove such people is on work.”

On the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, he said: “The people should elect the right man and right party so that they should not be left repenting after the formation of the government as is being felt these days… that many people are ruing that they have committed a mistake.”

“The people must not commit the same error in the elections ahead,” he cautioned.

(With inputs from PTI)