Raipur (Chhattisgarh) [India], August 27 (ANI): Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati Maharaj, on Thursday, criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi over their views on religion, culture and the Manusmriti, saying both leaders needed to develop a better understanding of India’s religious and social traditions.
His remark on Gandhi came amid a controversy over Bollywood actor Kriti Sanon’s outfit in a Raksha Bandhan advertisement for a jewellery brand. Sanon appeared in the advertisement wearing an ivory lehenga with a deep-neck blouse and a cape. While many appreciated her look, she also faced criticism online from some users who questioned the outfit on the grounds of Indian culture and traditions.
Reacting to the backlash, the Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha hit out at the trolls, saying it is a woman’s choice what she wears, does or where she goes.
“What a woman wears, what she does, and where she goes – is her choice. Stop trolling women for exercising their freedom,” he wrote on Instagram.
Against this backdrop, the Shankaracharya, the spiritual head and 46th claimant to the seat of Jyotish Peeth (Jyotir Math) in Uttarakhand, said that the issue should not be framed simply as a question of who should be allowed to wear what. He argued that people should also consider the cultural environment and occasion while choosing their attire.
Referring specifically to Raksha Bandhan, he said the festival was rooted in Indian and Hindu traditions and that people celebrating the occasion should follow Indian traditions in their dress.
“The question is not who wants to wear what or who should stop whom. The question is that you should dress according to the environment where you are. Raksha Bandhan is part of Indian tradition and Hindu culture.”
The Shankaracharya invoked the saying “Jaisa desh, waisa bhesh” as the country, so the attire while arguing that cultural sensitivities should be respected.
He also said that the debate should not be reduced to questions of women’s freedom or subordination, arguing that India’s social and cultural traditions needed to be understood in their entirety.
The RSS, the Shankaracharya said is a social organisation and not a religious institution representing Hinduism. He said the RSS itself describes itself as a social organisation and, therefore, its views should not automatically be equated with those of Hinduism.
He also criticised Rahul Gandhi and Owaisi for their remarks concerning Manusmriti and the RSS, saying both were making statements without adequately understanding the religious and social context.
“Rahul Gandhi and Owaisi are going around in circles, not knowing the RSS is not real Hindu. Both need to develop their understanding of these issues,” he said.
On Manusmriti, the Shankaracharya said the Constitution had not prohibited people from following their religious scriptures in matters concerning their faith and personal practices. He referred to Articles 25, 26, 27 and 28 while making his argument.
He said the Constitution did not state that people following Manusmriti could no longer do so and maintained that he had never opposed the Constitution.
“We have never opposed the Constitution. The Constitution gives us the freedom to follow our religious scriptures in matters of religion.”
The Shankaracharya further argued that the Constitution did not cover every aspect of religious life, particularly matters concerning beliefs about the afterlife. He said different religious communities had their own beliefs and scriptures concerning such matters.
Hyderabad MP Owaisi had whule addressing the Jalsa-e-Rahmatul-lil-Alameen at Darussalam on the occasion of the 1501st Eid Milad-un-Nabi, questioned the RSS’s commitment to the document drafted by B R Ambedkar.
The Shankaracharya urged political leaders to understand India’s cultural, religious and social traditions before commenting on religious texts or practices. (ANI)
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