With Swami Adhokshananda who is claiming himself as the Shankaracharya of the Puri Govardhan Peeth and allegedly enjoying the status of original Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati by the Maharashtra Government at the ongoing Kumbha Mela at Nasik, the Odisha Surakhya Sena on Friday demanded immediate arrest of the self-proclaimed spiritual leader.

The Sena also submitted memorandum to the Union Government and also to the Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

“Adhokshananda is becoming a headache for Hindu people who constantly derides Swami Nischalananda Saraswati and never relents on spreading canards against him. He always claims himself as the original Sankaracharya of Goverdhan Peeth, Puri and for sometime created lot of hullaballoo which proved ludicrous in the course of time. Recently he has erected a huge tent at the Nasik Kumbha Mela and proclaiming it as the tent of Shankarachrya of Puri. As for self-imposed restriction, Swami Nischalananda Saraswati, the original Shankarachrya of Puri can’t move beyond ‘Kakata Mangala’ at present. So this duplicate Shankarachrya is seizing this opportunity to self-publicise himself in a completely illegal and illegitimate way committing heinous spiritual crime of highest nature,” said the memorandum signed by Snea president Abhiskeh Joshi.

The memorandum stated that the Orissa High Court on many occasions acknowledged Swami Nischalananda Saraswati as the Shankaracharya of Govardhan Peeth and also prohibited Adhokshananda to enter the radius of 1,000 meters of the Govardhan Peeth.

The Sena demanded immediate arrest of the fake Shankaracharya.