Haridwar. Kali Sena chief Swami Anand Swaroop has given a big statement on the tussle between saints and Akharas before the Ardh Kumbh of 2027 in Haridwar. He clearly said that dragging a holy and global event like Kumbh into controversies is not good for both the tradition and the saint community. Swami Swarup said that Kumbh has been taking place on a grand scale for centuries under the patronage of kings and emperors. Akharas and saints are the real beauty of Kumbh. If the Dhami government wants a grand event, then everyone should participate in it enthusiastically. Terming the controversies being raised by some saints as meaningless, he said that today the situation is such that if one speaks of Ram, then the other is ready to speak of Ravana. Creating controversy in everything and wanting to remain in the media is a wrong trend.
Swami Swarup said that Kumbh is not only a religious event but also an opportunity for prosperity and development in the state. During Kumbh, better roads, cleanliness and development work is done. People come from all over the country and abroad, which makes the state prosperous. He said that Uttarakhand is a cultural Hindu state and many saints are demanding to declare Uttarakhand as a Hindu state. “Kumbh is an opportunity for us to brainstorm how to make the state a center of religious and spiritual tourism.” On the controversy over removal of Mahamandaleshwar, he said that this decision was taken in haste. It was not fair to punish someone so soon. There should have been conversation first.
On comparison with Prayagraj Kumbh, he said that the size of Haridwar may be small, but the ‘Dev Doli’ culture here is amazing. He told that even in the Mahakumbh of 2010, the Dev Dollis had taken a collective bath. “This wonderful scene of deities moving in dollies, dancing and giving blessings makes the world feel like a miracle. If the Dhami government has specially invited the dollies this time, then it is a matter of pride for the entire Uttarakhand.”