Sant Samiti seeks Akhilesh apology for ‘chillumjeevi’ remark

VARANASI: Samajwadi Party (SP) national president Akhilesh Yadav’s ‘chillumjeevi’ remark during a recent rally stirred a fresh row on Thursday, with the Akhil Bharatiya Sant Samiti -- an organisations of sadhus and saints-- demanding an apology for the “inappropriate comments on Sanatan Dharma”.

The controversy comes a day after Yadav took a dig at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), during the SP’s ‘Vijay Rath Yatra’ from Ghazipur to Lucknow as part of its poll campaign, saying that ‘chillumjeevi ‘ (those who smoke chillum) could not take Uttar Pradesh on the path of happiness and development.“.... In front of me, I am seeing a rainbow of all colours, including red, yellow, green and blue. The people who love one colour cannot bring colour in anyone’s life. Hum Samajwadi logo ka rang sab rang ke logo ko sath lekar chalna hai. But the people who love one colour and the ‘chillumjeevi’ people cannot take UP on the path of happiness,” said Akhilesh while addressing a gathering in Ghazipur on Wednesday.

Hitting back, Swami Jitendranand Saraswati, national general secretary of the Samiti, said: “Akhilesh Yadav’s inappropriate statement has angered saints across the country. Several leaders, including Akhilesh, make inappropriate comments on Sanatan Dharma, Bhagwan and saints every now and then. All such leaders should desist from this. We warn all such leaders to not drag saints into petty politics, otherwise, they would have to face the anger of Sanatanis.”

“According to the Sanatan tradition, chief minister Yogi Adityanath is the Peethad heeshvara (chief) of Gorakhnath Math which is revered all over the world. In India, since ancient times, ‘dharmasatta’ (rule of religion) has always been above the rule of law. By the right given to saints by the Constitution, Yogi Adityanath is the chief minister. Just because of this, no one gets the right to do dirty politics with him,” he added.