After reaching Kashi, Swami Avimukteshwarananda launched a war of words against UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath and challenged him to prove within 40 days that he is a real Sanatani and devotee of Gau Mata.
The swami said, Yogi must declare Cow as State Animal within 40 days and impose full ban on cow slaughter and export of cattle meat, otherwise he will be exposed as a “fake Hindu”.
The swami has rejected the Prayagraj administration’s offer for Sangam Snan (holy dip) on Magh Poornima (February 1) saying that since he and his followers were not allowed to take the holy dip on Mauni Amavasya, there was no point in taking a holy dip now.
Instead, the swami announced that he would convene a conclave of sadhus in March at the state capital Lucknow after 40 days, and if complete prohibition on cow slaughter and cattle meat export is not announced by Yogi government, he would declare the chief minister as a “fake Hindu”.
It is now clear that the swami is angry with Yogi Adityanath after the fracas that took place with police at Prayagraj on Mauni Amavasya day. The swami feels that the chief minister could have directed his officials to apologize for the police action on his followers, but Yogi did not do that.
It is now the swami’s turn to target Yogi on issues relating to Sanatan and Hindutva. On Thursday, he went to the extent of calling names like “Kalnemi, Nakli Sanyasi, Sanatan Virodhi” for the chief minister.
The swami’s language, his remarks and behaviour has stunned sadhus in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Mahant Ravindra Puri, the president of Akhada Parishad said, the swami is now breaking traditions set by saints in the past and no Shankaracharya can use such words against Yogi Adityanath.
Acharya Paramhans, the Peethadhishwar of Tapaswi Chhavani in Ayodhya, said, the swami has insulted the great traditions of saints by his remarks and behaviour. He said, if he continues with such manners, nobody will accept him as a Shankaracharya.
And now, a look at the state of prohibition on cow slaughter across India. There are strict laws banning cow slaughter and their progeny including bulls and bullocks, in the states of UP, Gujarat, MP, Haryana, Rajasthan, HP, Punjab and Uttarakhand. In Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Odisha, bulls or bullocks may be slaughtered if certified “fit for slaughter”. There are no restrictions on cow slaughter in Kerala, West Bengal and northeastern states.
In UP, Yogi Adityanath had been consistently proclaiming cow as holy, and his government has spent Rs 764 crore between 2017 and 2020 to build gaushalas. The state budget in 2025-26 provided for over Rs 2,000 crore for protection of stray cattle and Gauvansh welfare. To raise these funds, a cow cess was levied on sale of liquor, expressway toll and sale of commodities at agricultural mandis.
The Uttar Pradesh Cow Slaughter Prevention (Amendment) Act, 2020 provides for minimum 3 year imprisonment and minimum Rs 3 lakh fine for cow slaughter, minimum one year jail and minimum Rs 1 lakh fine for mutilating gauvansh, imprisonment ranging from one to seven years along with Rs 1-3 lakh fines for anybody inflicting physical harm on a cow or gauvansh, recovery of expenses for at least one year upkeep of seized cows from smugglers from accused and up to 10 years imprisoment for repeat offenders who are caught for cow smuggling.
Now that the Swami has entered the field of politics in the name of religion, he appears to be a weak player. It will be his biggest mistake if he tries to corner Yogi Adityanath on the question of Hindutva. Yogi Adityanath is known throughout the world as a strong protector of Sanatan Dharma.
This is not the first time that the swami has committed a mistake. Last year, he demanded that Rahul Gandhi should be expelled from Hindu Dharma. He even directed all priests to stop Rahul Gandhi from entering temples. During Samajwadi Party’s rule in UP, the swami had to face lathis from police. At that time, he had declared Akhilesh Yadav as the biggest enemy of Sanatan Dharma.
Swami Avimukteshwarananda may claim to be a Shankaracharya, but his behaviour reminds one about mofussil level politicians. If he fails to control his anger and stop making outrageous remarks, it is his prestige among sadhus and followers that will be dented.
There is a proverb in Hindi, “Kouwa Chalaa Hans Ki Chaal” (literal transalation, the crow that tried to walk like a swan).
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