Shankaracharya escalates criticism of UP CM

Metro India News | AMARAVATI

Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati of Jyotirmath (also known as Uttaramnaya Jyotishpeeth) has intensified his ongoing campaign against Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, accusing him of failing to demonstrate genuine commitment to Hindu principles through cow protection. In a press statement the seer declared that the first 20 days of a previously issued 40-day ultimatum have passed without any meaningful action from the state government. The statement called on all saints, mahants, akharas, and scholars to come forward and justify, using scriptural references, any involvement of ascetics in secular salaried positions or indirect links to meat trade activities. 

Dismissing symbolic gestures like the recent tax-free status for the film Godaan, the Shankaracharya emphasized that entertainment exemptions do nothing to save cows from slaughterhouses.Citing official data from India's 20th Livestock Census (conducted in 2019), the seer pointed out a stark contrast: cattle population in West Bengal increased by 15.18%, while in Uttar Pradesh—under Yogi Adityanath's administration—it declined by 3.93%. He noted that indigenous breeds like Gangatiri, Kenkatha, Khairagarh, and Mewati in UP are now on the verge of extinction, suggesting that where religious posturing is prominent, the "symbol of dharma" (the cow) is diminishing. He accused the Chief Minister of prioritizing revenue from meat trade over reverence for the cow.Expressing astonishment at the CM's outspokenness in the assembly questioning the Shankaracharya's legitimacy while remaining silent on cow protection, the seer advised Yogi Adityanath to focus on proving his own Hindu credentials rather than challenging others'. 

Finally, Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati called upon cow devotees across the country to prepare for a major gathering in Lucknow on March 11, 2026. He indicated that further details of the march would be announced as the 40-day period nears its end, stressing that the movement will continue until the cow receives its rightful protection and status.