Garhwal Post Bureau
Haridwar, 29 Jun: Today, the Kumbh Mela administration in Haridwar held a meeting of thirteen Akharas in the central control room, here. Eight Akharas attended the meeting, while five of the seven Akharas affiliated with the Sanyasi Akharas boycotted the meeting. Mahant Ravindra Puri Maharaj, President of the All India Akhara Parishad, President of the Shri Mansa Devi Temple Trust, and Secretary of the Shri Niranjani Akhara, said that due to an official of the Mela administration, everything is being messed up and there is discrimination among the Akharas. He said that they have no complaints against Mela Officer Sonika, but one of her officials has started playing politics and discriminating among the Akharas.
He said that when the Mela administration had called a meeting of all the thirteen Akharas today, why did the entire Mela administration go to the Naya Udasin Akhara in Kankhal and hold a separate meeting with some of the Akharas there. When a meeting of all the Akharas was to be held in the evening, why did the Mela administration hold a separate meeting and, by doing so, played politics among the Akharas, which will not be tolerated at all. He said that due to such a big mistake of the Mela administration, they boycotted the meeting of the saints of Kumbh today.
He said that he would talk to the Chief Minister about the discrimination of the Mela administration. Soon a delegation of the Akhara would meet the Chief Minister in Dehradun.
Meanwhile, when Additional Fair Officer Dayanand Saraswati was asked about the boycott of today’s meeting by five Akharas, he stated that they had invited all thirteen Akharas. They did not invite anyone in the name of the Akhara Parishad, and that all 13 Akharas were individually invited on June 16th. He added that officials associated with the Fair Authority did not attend any meeting at the Naya Udasin Panchayati Akhara today, but rather attended a feast. This feast was organised by Mahamandaleshwar Karoli Baba of the Naya Udasin Panchayati Akhara. He said that the saints also organised a bhajan bhandara for him and offered him dakshina as a token of good luck after the meal.
He said that he attempted to contact Mahant Ravindra Puri Maharaj, secretary of the Niranjani Akhara, but was unable to reach him. Meanwhile, Mahant Ravindra Puri Maharaj, president of the All India Akhara Parishad and president of the Mansa Devi Temple Trust, said, “We are committed to celebrating the Kumbh Mela in a grand manner, and we and our Acharya Mahamandaleshwar have met with the Chief Minister several times regarding this. However, some officials within the Mela administration are trying to sabotage the Kumbh Mela, and their negligence is causing constant disruptions to the Kumbh Mela’s operations.” He added that the largest Akhara is the Juna Panchdashnam Akhara, which did not attend the meeting today. Mahant Ravindra Puri Maharaj, secretary of the Niranjani Akhara, said that more than eight Akharas are with them.
