The Hindu : National : Advani calls on Kanchi Acharyas

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Tuesday, Nov 23, 2004

National

National

Advani calls on Kanchi Acharyas

By T. Ramakrishnan

The BJP president, L.K. Advani, with Sri Vijayendra Saraswathi at the Sankara Mutt in Kancheepuram on Monday. — Photo: K. Pichumani

VELLORE, NOV. 22. Feeling "relieved" on seeing the jailed Kanchi Sankaracharya, Sri Jayendra Saraswathi, the Bharatiya Janata Party president, L.K. Advani, today expressed the hope that "this distressing episode will soon come to an end."

Emerging from the Vellore Central Jail after being closeted with the Sankaracharya for about 25 minutes, Mr. Advani told the waiting mediapersons that "public opinion, judicial pronouncements and executive wisdom" would result in ending the episode.

Mr. Advani, accompanied by M. Venkaiah Naidu and Sudheendra Kulkarni, arrived at the jail at 4.10 p.m. He said he found the Acharya in "excellent and high spirits."

The Acharya had told him that he was now not for moving the Supreme Court to challenge the Madras High Court order dismissing his bail petition. "He would like to see what the [State] Government does when the judicial remand permitted by the Magistrate comes to an end [on November 26]," Mr. Advani said adding that "he is looking forward to all mistakes being corrected."

Mr. Advani, who came to Chennai from Mumbai this morning to participate in a protest meetingwent straight to Kancheepuram to call on Sri Vijayendra Saraswathi, junior Sankaracharya of the Kanchi Mutt. By the time he, along with his colleagues from Tamil Nadu, including national secretary L. Ganesan and State unit president C.P. Radhakrishnan, reached the Mutt around 1 p.m., news arrived that the extension of police custody for Sri Jayendra Saraswathi had not been granted. After remaining at the Mutt for half-an-hour, Mr. Advani left for Vellore, about 100 km away, to see the senior Sankaracharya, who was by then brought back from Kancheepuram.

Trial outside Tamil Nadu

To a query, Mr. Advani said the Supreme Court, in some cases, had ordered that trial be conducted outside the State concerned. But "whether to approach the Supreme Court in this regard or not is a matter which his lawyers would decide and well-wishers of the Peetam would consider."

As for the succession issue, Mr. Advani said, "This question does not arise to us. We are concerned with other aspects of the matter."

"Shocking episode"

Describing the events surrounding the Acharya's arrest as "extremely distressing," he said that never in the history of this country had an episode of this nature taken place. "It is not a question of an individual but of an institution of hallowed memory relating to Adi Sankaracharya who, through his writings and discourses, established that this country was one cultural unit. If a Peetam with such a heritage has been treated in the manner that it has been treated, it is certainly a shock to millions in this country. The shock has created anguish and agony that had been ventilated in the last few days."

Asked whether the case was foisted on the Acharya, Mr. Advani said, "It is for lawyers to comment. However, we have expressed our opinion through a formal memorandum submitted to the President."

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