In the poem ‘Amausa Ka Mela’ by Allahabad’s renowned poet Kailash Gautam, the essence of folk society is vividly portrayed through the various images and scenes of the Kumbh Mela. Despite the fact that saints and akharas would participate in the Kumbh earlier too, they were often overlooked by society, which is why it was primarily regarded as a folk festival. However, ever since the Haridwar Kumbh, communalism has increasingly influenced the Prayagraj Kumbh as well.
The Akhada Parishad initiated a campaign of communal division and animosity by prohibiting Muslims from participating in the mela. Furthermore, during a press conference at the fair, Akhara Parishad President Ravindra Puri called for the establishment of a Sanatan Board, asserting that this board would work to reclaim all maths and temples currently under Muslim control.
Shortly after this, Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati of Jyotish Peeth introduced a censure motion during his Dharma Sansad, targeting Lok Sabha leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi. He began his remarks with the question, “What is your [Muslim] role in my Kumbh?” He further demanded that Gandhi issue an apology within a month or face excommunication from Hinduism. It is important to highlight that on December 14 last year, Gandhi had addressed the Hathras rape case in the Lok Sabha, saying, “That those who commit rape should roam free, while the family of the victim is imprisoned – is written in your text, in Manusmriti, not in the Constitution.”
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Previously, communal statements made during the Kumbh Mela rarely attracted media attention. However, this year, Yati Narasimhanand, who was seen alongside chief minister Yogi Adityanath at the event, garnered widespread coverage.
Narasimhanand serves as the Mahamandaleshwar of Juna Akhara, which boasts a membership of approximately 5,30,000. He recently organized a two-day ‘Dharma-Samvad’ program on January 25-26 within the Akhara, where he made hateful remarks.
Mahant Hari Giri, the chief patron of Juna Akhara, said that the organisation is deeply pained by the ongoing assaults on Sanatan Dharma. He emphasised that Juna Akhara is gearing up for a concerted effort to defend this faith. Senior sants within the Akhara are now mobilising young sanyasis to actively participate in the protection of their religious beliefs, he said.
In a letter addressed to the prime minister, Giri called for the initiation of military operations against Bangladesh and Pakistan, with the objective of establishing a separate nation for Hindus in those regions. He also said that Hindus face threats from the Muslim community and called for each Hindu family to have four or five children.
It is also worth noting that Narasimhanand operates his own ‘Dharam Sena’ in addition to Juna Akhara, where he provides arms training in Ghaziabad. Juna Akhara is mostly a gathering of individuals with criminal backgrounds.
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Before the commencement of Kumbh in September 2024, Prakash Pandey, a well-known gangster affiliated with the Chhota Rajan gang, was appointed as Mahamandaleshwar of Juna Akhara. Following his expulsion during Kumbh, former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Mahesh Giri accused the Akhara’s patron, Hari Giri, of bringing prostitutes and liquor to the Akhara.
On January 27, during a Shanti Seva Camp held in the fair area, several resolutions were adopted at the Dharm Sansad convened by Kathavachak Devkinandan Thakur. These included the establishment of a Sanatan Board, the abolition of the Waqf Board, and a prohibition on interfaith marriages. BJP MP Hema Malini also attended the event.
At the Dharm Sansad, Jagadguru Vidya Bhaskar raised the slogan ‘Sambhal, Mathura, Vishwanath, three will be taken together’ and urged Modi to repeal the Places of Worship Act. Saint Vallabhdas Maharaj from Ayodhya echoed the sentiment with the slogan – ‘Ramlala, we will come, and build temples everywhere.’
‘We are going to suffer no more. We will reclaim what is ours. Where is the land of Hindus who migrated from Pakistan? If there is no Hindu Board in Pakistan and Bangladesh, why does a Waqf Board exist in India?’ Devkinandan Thakur proclaimed.
Recently, Adityanath characterised Sanatan Dharma as a banyan tree, and Islam as a bush, in his remarks at the Kumbh on January 25.
Sushil Manav is a freelance journalist. Translated from the Hindi original – which appeared on The Wire Hindi – by Naushin Rehman.