A few days ahead of the start of the 2019 Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, the politics in the Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad (ABAP) appears to have heated up.
The biggest Akhada of Naga Sanyasis —Juna Akhada recently expelled five of its members from the Akhada as a disciplinary action. All these expelled members have been asked to return from Kumbh Mela at Prayagraj. Golden Baba, Trikaldarshi Shivampuri Maharaj and Manohar Puri of Haridwar have been asked to vacate the Akhada property with immediate effect. The action was taken in the presence of Mahamandaleshwar Awdheshanand Giri in the national executive meet of the Akhada recently.
In all 13 Akhadas exist in the country and these come under the ABAP. In Sri Nirmal Akhada, Mahant Gyandev Singh expelled secretary of the Akhada, Balwant Singh and Kothari Mahant Gopal Das Singh.
The matter is also pending in different courts of law. Golden Baba, known for his love for gold ornaments has been expelled from Juna Akhada. He was Srimahant of Juna Akhada looking after Mela arrangements. He was expelled due to his actions which were seen as a violation of the discipline of the Akhada. Within a month of his reaching Prayagraj, he was expelled from Juna Akhada.
The decision was taken at head office of Juna Akhada on the banks of Yamuna. Four more office bearers were expelled for alleged indiscipline.
The chief patron of Juna Akhada and general secretary of ABAP Swami Hari Giri informed, “Following complaints received against these five members, the office bearers had decided to expel them from Akhada. The doors of the Akhada shall remain closed to them. We had come to know that Golden baba had even threatened a gunner that he would implicate him in a false case of theft of gold jewellery. His rude behavior with the police and other people cannot be accepted.”
Apart from these three expelled members from Haridwar, two more from Lucknow-- a female ascetic Srimahant Puja Puri and Srimahant Devendra Puri have been expelled from the Akhada. They shall not be given any facility from Juna Akhada for their stay during Kumbh Mela.
Notably, Golden Baba was earlier given the status of Ramta Panch of the Akhada who looks after the activities of the Akhada.
However, apart from some of his activities being found to be dubious, he also has cases against him. The expelled members of the Akhada will not be allowed to participate in the Shahi Snan ceremony during the Kumbh Mela.