In Trivendra Rawat plans for PM, former CM finds ploy to to undermine ‘Hinduism’

Congress leader Harish Rawat Monday accused Uttarakhand chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat of undermining the ‘importance and greatness’ of Hinduism by asking Prime Minister Narendra Modi to lay the foundation stone of Adi Shankaracharya’s Samadhi (tomb) at Kedarnath shrine.

The former chief minister said that the foundation stone should have been laid by the four Shankaryacharyas heading respective seats of Hindu religion at Badrinath, Rameshwram, Dwarka and Puri.

“We (the previous Congress government) had planned to do that (lay the foundation stone of the samadhi) by holding a special function under the aegis of four Shankaracharyas or heads of the holy seats established by none other than Adi Shankaracharya himself. BJP is trying to belittle sanctity of this occasion by calling their political master for the event,” said Rawat.

He was speaking to the media here on his return from two-day Kedarnath visit. Rawat said site for the Samadhi was identified and finalized by a committee of seers during his regime. “The sepulchre of Adi Shankarcharya is harbinger of unified Hindu religion across the world and must be given adequate honour and respect. Laying of foundation stone of the Samadhi by the PM was not in tune with the honour he deserved,” the former CM said.

Rawat further said that Adi Shankaracharya’s Samadhi must be built by the government not by any private firm as decided by the state government.

Taking a dig at government’s plan to lay the foundation stone for several other schemes at Kedarnath shrine, the former CM said, “Prime minister will lay foundation stones for those works that were started by my government.”

He also alleged that contrary to the claims of the Uttarakhand government, the Chardham routes were in the “worst shape and hostile for the pilgrims”.

On BJP MLA from Uttar Pradesh, Sangeet Som’s statement that the Taj Mahal was built by someone who wanted to wipe out Hindus and that it has no place in Indian history, Rawat said, “Tomorrow they may also claim to wipe out Red Fort, Parliament House and Rashtrapati Bhawan.”

“BJP wanted PM lay foundation stone of Adi Shankaracharya Samadhi we wanted it under aegis of four shankaracharyas” Harish Rawat