Protests gather against state guest status to Kanchi Shankaracharya [image: Print]<http://www.humanrightskerala.com/index2.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5119&pop=1&page=0&Itemid=5> [image: E-mail]<http://www.humanrightskerala.com/index2.php?option=com_content&task=emailform&id=5119&itemid=5> Tuesday, 12 December 2006
*Red carpet to Saffron Friend, Protests gathering momentum* December 11, 2006 [image: The Shankaracharya is charged with the murder of temple official A. Sankararaman on Nov 12, 2004, and is currently on bail] Kanchi Seer in Police Jeep The Kerala government has decided to give state guest status to the Shankaracharya of Kanchi, Jayendra Saraswati, when he arrives here Tuesday. The Shankaracharya is charged with the murder of temple official A. Sankararaman on Nov 12, 2004, and is currently on bail. In a press release from Kollam, Dr. M.S. Jayaprakash, noted historian protested against Kerala Government's decision to provide red carpet to the accused. He alleged that the state government is recalling the laws of Manusmrithi which upheld the doctrine of "Every Brahmin is above the Law". The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) government of V.S. Achuthanandan has instructed 15 different departments of the government to treat the controversial seer as a state guest during his four-day visit to the state. The charges against the seer are framed not only under Art. 302 (alleged murder), but also under the serious provisions of Art. 202 (criminal conspiracy) and Art. 127 ( causing disappearance of the evidences). The letter written by Shankararaman was found in the Mutt and the mobile phones of the arrested Goondas carried the Mutt telephone numbers. And the bank transaction after the murder, as revealed by the Mutt account in Kancheepuram ICICI bank, provide a strong evidence of disbursing huge amounts of money to the hired-killers. These evidences form the 'prima facie' to arrest the seer. The 1,873-page charge sheet names 370 witnesses and includes 712 documents. The deceased who had accused the Shankaracharya of money laundering and later moved court to prevent him from travelling abroad on the premise that Hindu rites did not allow so, was stabbed to death by miscreants in September 2004. The police claimed that two of the 14 persons arrested in the case pointed to Saraswati's 'direct involvement' in the case. The public prosecutor told the court that there was clinching evidence that favoured the arrest of the seer. The criminal cases against the seer needs to be delinked from the religious institution he represents. No doubt, he needs to be allowed every recourse to law and rights guaranteed by the Constitution as a citizen of India, but no more like of a "Official State Guest of Government of Kerala" now . The likes of the sangh parivar <http://www.dalitvoice.org/Templates/dec2004/editorial.htm>could not rule the state government policy, says Thodiyoor Kunju Mohammed Moulavi, a Muslim Leader in Kerala. P. Ramabadran, President of Kerala Dalit Panthers Party, ridiculed the government decision and said it is an attempt to grab votes from sangh parivar lobby in the state. Offering the state guest status to Jayendra Saraswathi reveals the folly of communism in Kerala, which always proud of itself in fighting against Hindutva. He asked the political parties in kerala to openly air their stand on the issue since the act of government will polarize the communal division in the state. Some critics consider Kerala Government's decision as a timely tactics to divide the Tamil public opinion who are unanimously stood against Kerala on the issue of Mullaperiyar Dam. Tamil Nadu state is currently ruled by Mr. Karunanidhi, of Dravida Munnetta Kazhagam (DMK) Party which is having a historical and deep ideological conflict with Brahmin supermacy represented by the Kanchi Mutt. More on the Swami Case *BJP Clings To Same Discredited Platform* , By Harkishan Singh Surjeet, People's Democracy http://pd.cpim.org/2004/1205/12052004_surjeet.htm *Law must take its course: Left,* The Hindu, Nov15, 2004 http://www.hindu.com/2004/11/15/stories/2004111505671300.htm <http://www.hindu.com/2004/11/15/stories/2004111505671300.htm%20> *Swami And Fiends, *By S. Anand, 23 November, 2004, The Outlook http://www.countercurrents.org/comm-anand231104.htm *Brahma Hatya by Kanchi swami, *Dalit Voice, Dec 2004 http://www.dalitvoice.org/Templates/dec2004/editorial.htm <http://www.dalitvoice.org/Templates/dec2004/editorial.htm%20> *The Hindu News Coverage of Kanchi Seer's arrest* http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/nic/0034/index.htm <http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/nic/0034/index.htm%20> *Letter: Murder, mystery and politics in India,* By Vinod Mehta, Editor of Indian weekly magazine, Outlook http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4225387.stm *Rediff Complete Coverage on Kanchi Case * http://in.rediff.com/news/shankaracharya04.htm <http://in.rediff.com/news/shankaracharya04.htm%20> -- 'Trust in God, but tie your camel first' - The Holy Prophet (pbuh) 'Knowledge is better than wealth, you have to look after your wealth, knowledge looks after you' - Imam Ali
