Shankaracharya's procession halted, sparks hunger strike and political row
Jyotishpeeth Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati was reported by some sources to have begun a hunger strike after police stopped his palanquin procession near Sangam in Prayagraj during the massive Magh Mela festival, though he was quoted as saying he was "neither on a hunger strike nor staging a dharna" and was simply sitting at the spot.
The standoff happened on Mauni Amavasya, a day when millions of devotees visit, even though his team had shared their plans with the Mela administration days earlier.
What Shankaracharya wanted—and what officials said
The Shankaracharya called for an apology, a proper escort, and a dedicated path for his procession—saying these were "non-negotiable."
Officials pushed back, saying they had respectfully requested for nearly three hours that he walk to the Sangam on foot for safety reasons, and claimed some of his supporters broke emergency barricades during the clash.
Politics jumps in
The incident quickly turned political. Congress accused BJP of disrespecting the religious leader and asked PM Modi to step in.
Samajwadi Party's Akhilesh Yadav posted videos online criticizing how traditions like "Shahi Snan" are being handled under BJP rule, pointing out similar issues previously.