Puri Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati on Thursday pulled up Panchayati Raj and law Minister Arun Sahoo for remaining busy on his mobile phone while the spiritual leader was gracing the second-day inaugural ceremony of a Bimala temple in Puri.
The seer, who was slamming the Government and inept peoples’ representatives for directionless governance, lost his cool when he saw the Minister, who was sitting on the dais with other seers busy on his cell phone.
“I know you (the Minister) are good at philosophy. Still, you listen to me and implement the philosophy of governance. Don’t confine yourself to speeches only,” said the Shankaracharya.
The spiritual leader also said that the education system has deviated from its path and legislature has become directionless.
“Since moneymaking has become the sole aim of education, religious thoughts have been affected. Resultantly, the country is suffering instead of witnessing development. Religion is always ahead of politics. Religious establishments of Buddhist, Jain and Sikh communities are free from political governance. Then, why the lord Jagannath Temple and other shrines and mutts are managed by the political system,” Shankaracharya wanted to know.
Attending the event, Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingh Deb and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gouda asked all to follow the Shankaracharya’s advise.