The Hindu : National : Joshi sees 'ulterior motive' in Acharya's arrest

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Nov 17, 2004

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National

Joshi sees 'ulterior motive' in Acharya's arrest

By T. Ramakrishnan

The Bharatiya Janata Party leader, Murli Manohar Joshi, coming out of the Vellore jail after meeting the Kanchi Acharya, Sri Jayendra Saraswathi, on Tuesday. - Photo: R. Ragu

VELLORE, NOV. 16 . The Bharatiya Janata Party leader and former Union Minister, Murli Manohar Joshi, today suspected that there was some "ulterior motive" in the arrest of the Kanchi Sankaracharya, Sri Jayendra Saraswathi

"No policeman would behave like this with a person of such an exalted dignity like Sri Jayendra Saraswathi. This makes me feel that there is something ulterior to it. I am not in a position to pinpoint that motive. But, it is not a simple thing," Dr. Joshi said, calling the police behaviour "atrocious and suspicious."

The BJP leader was talking to mediapersons after meeting the Sankaracharya at the Vellore Central Prison this morning. He and his colleagues, Jana Krishnamurthy, L. Ganesan, S. Thirunavukarasar and Padmanabacharya, were with the Acharya for about 20 minutes.

`Conspiracy'

Describing the demand for police custody of the Acharya as "funny," Dr. Joshi, who reached the Vellore prison around 11.15 a.m., said: "The demand is to delay the whole thing and seek time to create an evidence which is not. The police say `we have some evidence.' When the Judge says where is the evidence, they say `we need time to produce evidence.' All these smack of a conspiracy to book the Swamiji for reasons which I do not understand now."

Taking strong exception to the observations of the Public Prosecutor against the Sankaracharya, Dr. Joshi said he had made "absurd, ridiculous and obnoxious" statements, which "no civilised person in this country would ever try to use." Such statements were aimed at creating an impression that "the Swamiji has done something for which he is guilty and is trying to avoid." He wondered how a person, who was under the security of the Government, could run away to Nepal.

There was "strong resentment" all over the country against the arrest, he said and deplored the way certain news items were being spread that the police was searching the Kanchi Mutt and that the Income-Tax Department had initiated action against it. All this was done to create a fear in the minds of the people. "I would demand that the dignity of the Mutt be restored. The Swamiji should be allowed to go back to the Mutt so that all the ritualistic activities of the Mutt, especially certain ordained rituals, which only a Sankaracharya can do, are performed."

`Acharya normal'

On his meeting with the Acharya, the BJP leader said he found him "quite normal." He was performing the daily pujas without any obstruction. "He is being treated like an ordinary prisoner according to the jail manual," Dr. Joshi said. But what was important was that he should be allowed a cook to prepare the food according to the rituals, because "these people do not take food prepared by anybody in any manner."

When asked whether he would meet the Chief Minister, Dr. Joshi said he had to rush back to New Delhi this evening. However, he would send his report to her.

Mr. Krishnamurthy said the Public Prosecutor's statements against the Acharya showed the `bias' of the State Government.

Dr. Joshi later drove to Kancheepuram, where he met the junior Sankaracharya, Sri Vijayendra Saraswathi, who returned there this morning.

Rights violated: Fernandes

The National Democratic Alliance convener and former Defence Minister, George Fernandes, who met the Acharya at the prison in the afternoon, said human rights had been violated in "many ways."

He told mediapersons that "the way he has been arrested, the way he has been treated defies all the norms laid down by the Supreme Court in matters of such nature. There has to be decency. There has to be action according to the law."

Asked whether the Acharya was happy with the treatment, he said: "if he is not happy, he would have told me."

`Friend of over 30 years'

To a query whether there was any political significance in the meeting, the NDA leader shot back: "Why do you see politics in everything? I have come here to meet my friend of over 30 years."

Asked whether the NDA planned to take up this issue, Mr. Fernandes said he did not see any such role for the alliance.

Earlier in the day, Mr. Fernandes met the Janata Party president, Subramanian Swamy, at the airport. Dr. Swamy said the Rashtriya Swabhiman Manch floated recently would meet on November 27 in New Delhi to decided the future course of action with regard to the Acharya issue.

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