Top priest accuses BJP of betraying Hindus

Lucknow: Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati of Jyotirmath, Uttarakhand, held a press conference in Lucknow on Monday where he sharply criticised the ruling BJP, accusing the party of betraying the trust of the country’s majority Hindu community.

Speaking at the Indira Gandhi Pratishthan, the saint claimed that despite being in power for three consecutive terms, the BJP has failed to address key issues like stopping cow slaughter and promoting cow protection.

Swami Avimukteshwaranand said that the lack of action on cow protection had led him to leave his monastery and embark on a nationwide campaign. “BJP took the votes of Hindus and cheated them. Despite their power, they did nothing to stop cow slaughter,” he said.

The saint emphasised that his mission began in Ayodhya, the city of Lord Ram, and he has now brought it to Lucknow, the city of Lord Laxman. He announced that he plans to take his movement across all states of India and vowed not to rest until cow slaughter is completely halted in the country.

Swami Avimukteshwaranand called upon the 100 crore Hindus of India to join him in this “pious campaign.” He raised concerns about what he described as a grave sin occurring at the Tirupati temple, where, according to his allegations, millions of devout Hindus have unknowingly consumed cow fat in the name of prasadam.

The saint’s criticism extended to Uttar Pradesh, where he pointed out that despite a monk Chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s state still has the highest number of slaughterhouses in India. “There are 40 out of 79 beef slaughterhouses in Uttar Pradesh alone,” he said, calling this situation “unfortunate” and a betrayal of Hindu sentiments. His movement is set to gain momentum as he continues his tour across the country.