Uddhav Thackeray ‘victim of betrayal’, says Shankaracharya

‘Uddhav Thackeray has been betrayed, causing much anguish among the people. I met him today at his request and expressed that the pain won’t ease until he returns as Chief Minister,” he said, after visiting Mr. Thackeray at his residence, Matoshree, in Bandra

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray is a victim of betrayal, said the Shankaracharya of the Jyotish Peeth in Uttarakhand, Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati, on July 15. The seer, who declined an invitation to the Ram temple consecration ceremony in Ayodhya, said that the people of Maharashtra are suffering from this betrayal, as reflected in the recent Lok Sabha election.

“Uddhav Thackeray has been betrayed, causing much anguish among the people. I met him today at his request and expressed that the pain won’t ease until he returns as Chief Minister,” he said, after visiting Mr. Thackeray at his residence, Matoshree, in Bandra. The Shankaracharya also attended a puja ceremony.

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“Uddhav said he will do whatever is needed, with our blessings,” Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati added.

He said betrayal is the greatest sin, stating, “All of us are followers of Sanatana Dharma. We have a definition of Paap and Punya. We believe in virtue and vice.Vishwasghat is said to be a great sin. This has been done to Uddhav Thackeray. Those who betray cannot be considered Hindus; those who endure betrayal are true Hindus. People of Maharashtra are suffering from this betrayal, as reflected in the recent Lok Sabha election.”

The seer clarified that he does not engage in politics, “but must address betrayal, which is a sin according to our faith”.

Regarding the laying of the foundation stone for a Kedarnath temple in New Delhi on July 10 by Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, he questioned, “How can Kedarnath, which is in the Himalayas, have a temple in Delhi? Why confuse the people? There are defined twelve Jyotirlingas. Its location is fixed. It is wrong. There was a scam of 228kg of gold in Kedarnath. Nobody is bothered about it. We are well-wishers of PM Modi.”