In yet another controversial statement made on Wednesday, Jyotir and Dwarka maths' peethadhipathi Shankaracharya Swaroopanand Saraswati ascribed the deluge of 2013 that devastated Kedarnath to 'flourishing tourism and vanishing pilgrimage'. He added that rampant consumerism around an ancient shrine led to the disaster. “A place of pilgrimage should be allowed to retain its sanctity. Mushrooming of hotels to cater to the needs of those who go there on merry-making trips must be stopped,” he affirmed.
While in Haridwar, the seer has been spewing fire on many matters ranging from 'deification' of Shirdi Sai Baba bringing about drought to the women inviting rape by thronging Shani temples. In his latest remark, he dwelt on the natural calamity that wreaked havoc in Kedarnath, which he attributed to unbridled commercialization of the celebrated centre of pilgrimage.