Akhilesh meets Swami Avimukteshwaranand, calls for serious efforts on cow protection

Lucknow, Jul 9 (PTI) Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav here on Thursday met seer Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati of Jyotirmath and said cow protection should be treated as a serious issue rather than a political slogan. Yadav paid a courtesy visit to the seer and sought his blessings. The two also discussed cow protection, Sanatan traditions, social issues and other contemporary national matters. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Yadav said, "Shankaracharya ji is deeply concerned about the condition of cows. Cow protection is not merely a political slogan but an important aspect of Indian culture and Sanatan traditions, and serious efforts should be made in this direction." According to a statement issued by the Samajwadi Party, the Shankaracharya is currently touring Uttar Pradesh as part of his 'Gavishti (Go-Raksharth Dharmayuddh) Yatra' to create awareness about cow protection, preservation of Sanatan values and the welfare of cattle. The statement said the yatra aims to build a mass movement for cow protection, ensure the safety of cattle, effectively curb cow slaughter and promote awareness about cow service and Sanatan traditions. Targeting the BJP, Yadav alleged that "money and votes, not religion" were its priorities. He claimed that the ruling party changed its stand on religious issues according to political convenience and said Sanatan followers across the world were concerned over the manner in which Lord Ram and religious sentiments had been linked to political interests in Ayodhya. Yadav also referred to the alleged irregularities in donations at the Ram temple, saying there could be no greater sin in Sanatan Dharma than misappropriating or stealing devotees' offerings. Questioning the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the alleged donation embezzlement, he said doubts were being raised about the impartiality of the investigation. "There are reports that one of the SIT members is also facing a cheating case. Transparent action is necessary to maintain public confidence in the probe," he said. The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister alleged that the matter appeared to reflect a conflict between different centres of power and accused the government of targeting opposition leaders through raids and criminal cases while ignoring complaints filed by the opposition. "There should be no politics of vendetta in the name of political rivalry. Those in power today should remember that power changes hands in a democracy," he said. On the Ram temple controversy, Yadav said, "Not just the mould but the entire structure should be changed," adding that mere symbolic action would not suffice and that the entire system required reform as millions of Sanatan followers had been hurt by the episode. PTI KIS KSS KSS