Magh Mela Standoff: Swami Faces Ban After Bridge Breach, Administration Cites Stampede Risk
Prayagraj authorities issued a second notice to Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati, threatening to revoke land and ban him from Magh Mela after he allegedly breached barricades on Mauni Amavasya, risking a stampede.
Prayagraj, Jan 22 (PTI) In a fresh tussle between Magh Mela authorities and Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati, the administration has issued him a second notice, asking why the land and facilities allotted to his institution here should not be cancelled and why he should not be permanently barred from entering the fair. The row erupted on Sunday when Saraswati allegedly broke through a barricade at the reserved bridge number 2 on 'Mauni Amavasya' (auspicious day for taking holy dip) while travelling in a horse carriage and moved along with the crowd, despite severe congestion at the time when only pedestrian movement was permitted.
According to the notice issued by the Prayagraj Mela Authority, the act created serious difficulties for the mela police and administration in crowd management.
"Due to such entry by Swami Ji, the possibility of a stampede and consequent serious loss of life could not be ruled out," it said.
The administration asked why, in view of the incident, the land and facilities being provided to his institution should not be withdrawn and why he should not be permanently prohibited from entering the mela.
Reacting to the notice, Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati's media in-charge Shailendra Yogiraj on Thursday alleged that the government was acting with a sense of vendetta.
He claimed the notice was pasted behind the Shankaracharya camp pandal and was backdated to January 18, and that they came to know about it only after being informed by a staff member of the administration.
Earlier, the mela administration had issued a separate notice to Saraswati citing an order of the Supreme Court in a civil appeal, which held that until the appeal is finally decided, no religious head can be formally anointed as the Shankaracharya of Jyotish Peeth.
The earlier notice stated that no religious leader had been anointed as the Shankaracharya of Jyotish Peeth so far, yet Saraswati had projected himself as the Shankaracharya of Jyotish Peeth on boards displayed at his camp during the 2025-26 Prayagraj Magh Mela. PTI RAJ KIS DV DV
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