In Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami, Governor Banwarilal Purohit and Leader of the Opposition M.K. Stalin led tributes to Sri Jayendra Saraswathi, who died on Wednesday morning.
“Apart from his spiritual work, Jayendra Saraswathi showed a great deal of interest in issues of societal importance,” the Chief Minister said in a statement, and expressed his condolences to the seer’s followers. Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam visited the Mutt late in the evening to pay his respects. “His death is a great loss to society, particularly to his followers,” Mr. Purohit said. The Governor said he was shocked to hear about the demise of the Kanchi Acharya as he had met him only on Tuesday and had taken his blessings.
DMK working president M.K. Stalin expressed his condolences to the pontiff’s followers and employees of the Kanchi Mutt.
Dravidar Kazhagam president K. Veeramani said: “Even though we have a lot of differences with the ideology of the Kanchi Mutt, the Dravidar Kazhagam expresses its heartfelt condolences on the Kanchi Acharya’s demise.”
The State units of the BJP and the RSS too expressed their condolences. “His death is a big loss to the country. He went above and beyond the service of his religion and provided service to the people. The country has lost a great social thinker and spiritual leader,” BJP State president Tamilisai Soundararajan said.
RSS general secretary Suresh Joshi will be attending the final rites, to be held on Thursday.
TNCC president Su. Thirunavukkarasar recalled the Kanchi Acharya’s efforts to bring peace over the Babri Masjid issue. “He met leaders of Hindu and Muslim organisations to try and find a peaceful solution to the issue,” he said. PMK founder S. Ramadoss also appreciated his efforts in this regard.
Service to downtrodden
DMDK president Vijayakant visited the Kanchi Mutt and paid his respects to the pontiff. TMC president G.K. Vasan said the Kanchi Acharya provided tremendous service to the downtrodden.
Indian Union Muslim League’s national president K.M. Kader Mohideen recalled that when the party undertook a peace yatra in 2000 from Rameswaram, Jayendra Saraswathi had expressed his support to the cause. “Wherever we went during the yatra that culminated in Tiruchi over a period of eight days, the followers of the Kanchi Mutt welcomed us with warmth and blessings,” he said.
The Prince of Arcot, Nawab Mohammed Abdul Ali, said, “Swamiji respected all faiths and promoted religious harmony all his life. He was a person of simple living and peaceful loving.”
Actor and leader of the Makkal Needhi Maiam Kamal Haasan too condoled the death of the Kanchi seer. Actor Rajinikanth also expressed his condolences.
