Key Points:
- Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya offered prayers and requested Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand to resolve the matter, contradicting CM Yogi’s earlier “Kalanemis” remark
- Shankaracharya prevented from bathing in palanquin at Sangam on Mauni Amavasya, refused to enter camp until officials apologize
- Prayagraj Mela Authority issued first notice asking how he calls himself Shankaracharya, citing Supreme Court order
- Shankaracharya’s lawyer Anjani Kumar Mishra responded with warning of contempt petition if notice not withdrawn within 24 hours
- Mela Administration issued second notice threatening to withdraw Magh Mela facilities and permanently ban entry
- Shankaracharya questioned basis of initial facility grant and subsequent withdrawal threat
A major political controversy has erupted in Uttar Pradesh after Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya made a conciliatory statement toward Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand of Jyotish Peeth, potentially positioning himself against Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in the ongoing dispute over the seer’s attempted ritual bath at the Sangam.
The controversy stems from an incident during Mauni Amavasya when the Shankaracharya was prevented by the Mela and police administration from taking a dip in the Sangam in a wheeled palanquin. The seer responded by declaring he would not enter his camp until officials apologized and respectfully escorted him to the Sangam, setting the stage for a confrontation that has now drawn in the state’s top political leadership.
Political Rift Emerges in UP Government
When asked about the tussle between the Shankaracharya and the administration in Prayagraj, Deputy Chief Minister Maurya stated, “I bow at the feet of the revered Shankaracharya. May his holy bath be auspicious. I pray to him and request him to resolve this matter.”
This statement has raised eyebrows in UP’s political circles, as it appears to contradict Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s position. During a visit to Sonipat, Haryana on Thursday, Yogi had said there are some “Kalanemis” (deceitful figures) in Sanatan Dharma, and we need to be wary of them. This remark was widely interpreted as a veiled reference to Avimukteshwaranand, creating a perception of a split within the state’s BJP leadership.
पूज्य शंकराचार्य जी के चरणों में प्रणाम है, उनसे प्रार्थना है कि वह अच्छे से स्नान करें। इस विषय को यही खत्म करें, शंकराचार्य के अपमान के सवाल पर डिप्टी सीएम केशव प्रसाद मौर्य ने कहा, उसकी जांच करके जो भी पूज्य संत आचार्य, शंकराचार्य जी का अनादर करने का नहीं होता है, अगर ऐसा किया… pic.twitter.com/2WdR3Wdk4B
— Sumit Kumar (@skphotography68) January 22, 2026
Legal Battle Escalates
The administrative confrontation intensified when the Prayagraj Mela Authority issued the Shankaracharya a notice citing a Supreme Court order and demanding clarification within 24 hours on how he calls himself a Shankaracharya and why the title appears on his camp’s signboard. The Shankaracharya, through his lawyer Anjani Kumar Mishra, filed a reply on Wednesday that turned the tables on the administration.
In his eight-page response, the Shankaracharya informed the Mela administration that his coronation had already taken place and the court order came later. He demanded the authority withdraw its notice within 24 hours and issued a direct warning that failure to do so would result in a contempt of court petition against the administration for misrepresenting the court order, along with other necessary legal action.
Rather than backing down, the Mela Administration responded with a second notice, this time asking the Shankaracharya to explain within 24 hours why the land and facilities allotted to his organization at the Magh Mela should not be withdrawn and why his entry to the fair should not be permanently banned.
Shankaracharya’s Defiant Stand
Following the second notice, Avimukteshwaranand retaliated by questioning the basis on which the facilities were initially granted and on what basis they are now being withdrawn. He has not yet indicated whether he will respond to this second notice or take further legal action against the administration.
The entire matter has transformed from a religious ritual dispute into a high-stakes political and legal battle, with the Deputy Chief Minister’s unexpected intervention adding a new dimension to the controversy. The development has also reignited speculation about tensions between CM Yogi and Deputy CM Maurya, which have been reported on several occasions in the past.
Administrative Dilemma
The Prayagraj Mela Authority now faces a complex situation, balancing court orders, political statements from top state leadership, and the defiant stance of a prominent religious figure. The administration’s dual notices suggest an attempt to assert authority, but the Shankaracharya’s legal counter-threats indicate the dispute is far from resolved.
As the situation develops, all parties are awaiting the Shankaracharya’s next move, whether he will comply with the second notice, file contempt proceedings, or seek a judicial intervention to protect his position at the Magh Mela. The political implications of Maurya’s statement continue to reverberate through Lucknow’s power corridors, potentially signaling deeper divisions within the state leadership.
