The Hindu : National : Shock, disbelief, bitterness

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Nov 13, 2004

National

National

Shock, disbelief, bitterness

By V.Jayanth

CHENNAI, NOV. 12. The devotees and followers of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam were shocked to hear about the arrest and remand of the Sankaracharya, Sri Jayendra Saraswathi, this morning. From a mood of disbelief and bitterness at the police action, they started wondering how the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, had sanctioned the arrest. Since all the action was in the courts today and as the Opposition parties welcomed the arrest, they expected some statement from the Government, but that did not materialise. But the Government's most powerful statement was made in the Madras High Court, where it opposed the bail application filed on behalf of the Kanchi Acharya.

According to Government sources, the police officers had to convince the Chief Minister that they had the evidence to back up the demand for the arrest of the Acharya. They also had to convince the Andhra Pradesh police about their thorough investigation before deciding to "touch" one of the most influential religious institutions in the country with such a "historic tradition."

Care was also taken to make the arrest after the Deepavali celebrations in Tamil Nadu — though Andhra Pradesh and the northern States celebrated the festival of lights today.

Aside from the religious sentiments and the verification process of the material evidence on hand, the Government also had to evaluate the "political consequences" of such an action.

Till a few months ago, the Jayalalithaa Government was dubbed "pro-Hindu" and "anti-minorities." But after the electoral reverse in the parliamentary elections, the Chief Minister repealed the anti-conversion law. There was the case with the "most sacred and sentimental Hindu mutt" in the State, which was also known to be close to Ms. Jayalalithaa till recently.

Two clear messages

Sri Jayendra Saraswathi had wielded considerable influence with Ms. Jayalalithaa and her Government, at least till the recent elections.

By deciding to clear his arrest, she was sending out two clear messages — that she was even-handed in her action and the minorities need not fear that she was pro-Hindu. Above all, before the Opposition parties could launch their proposed agitation on Saturday, demanding action against those responsible for the temple manager's murder, she had "taken the wind out of their sails," a senior ruling party functionary explained.

But the followers of the Kanchi Mutt are more concerned about the image of their institution and the serious charges levelled against its head.

"These are trying times and we can only pray that the Sankara Mutt emerges from this challenge unscathed. We are looking to Sri Vijayendra Saraswathi to return to Kancheepuram early to provide us the solace and leadership we need at this hour of crisis," says a senior executive in the travel trade, who is a devout follower of the mutt.

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