Dehradun: Jyotirmath Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwarananda Saraswati on Saturday announced that Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has been “expelled” from Hinduism over his controversial remarks on the Manusmriti made in Parliament. The Shankaracharya accused Gandhi of insulting Sanatan Dharma by claiming that the Manusmriti “protects rapists”, a statement he made during a speech in the Lok Sabha, reported the Times of India.
The seer revealed that he had sent a formal communication to Gandhi three months ago seeking clarification on the remark, followed by a reminder, but received no response. “During his speech, he targeted the ruling party and said, pointing towards them, that such things are written in ‘your book’, referring to the Manusmriti. This implies he does not consider it his scripture, and hence, he cannot be regarded as a Hindu,” the Shankaracharya said.
He further declared that Rahul Gandhi should be banned from entering temples and that priests must not perform any rituals for him. The statement marks a sharp turn from last year when the same Shankaracharya had defended Gandhi’s speech on communal harmony, stating, “There is no place for violence in Hinduism.”
Reiterating his stance on preserving the sanctity of religious places, the Shankaracharya emphasized that only true followers of Sanatan Dharma should be allowed to undertake the Char Dham Yatra. He stated that those visiting pilgrimage sites should come with devotion, not for leisure, and non-believers should be restricted from accessing the sacred sites.
The statement has triggered intense debate over religious identity, freedom of expression, and the role of religious leaders in political discourse.
