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Interview| Sadhvi Pragya no seer, misusing saffron: ABAP president

Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad (ABAP) president Mahant Narendra Giri called Sadhvi Pragya a self-appointed seer, who was using saffron robes for her own gain

Published on: Apr 21, 2019, 09:54:23 IST
Hindustan Times, Allahabad | By Kenneth John
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Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad (ABAP) president Mahant Narendra Giri called Sadhvi Pragya a self-appointed seer, who was using saffron robes for her own gain. He said that the Akhada Parishad has not accorded recognition to her newly formed ‘Bharat Bhakti Akhada’ during the Kumbh Mela. He also said people like Sadhvi Pragya lacked the wisdom of a seer because after choosing to become ‘Mahamandaleshwar’, she should not have joined politics or contested elections, as she no longer had anything to do with worldly life. Edited excerpts of an interview with Kenneth John:

Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad (ABAP) president Mahant Narendra Giri (HT)
Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad (ABAP) president Mahant Narendra Giri (HT)

Q. Is Sadhvi Pragya a seer as she was anointed as Mahamandaleshwar during Kumbh Mela 2019?

Ans. No. Sadhvi Pragya is a self-styled seer and a ‘Mahamandaleshwar’, using saffron robes for her own gain.

Q. Sadhvi Pragya formed the ‘Bharat Bhakti Akhada’ during Kumbh Mela

Ans. Till now, Sanatan Dharam has only 13 Akhadas, which the ABAP recognises. An Akhada is not something that anyone can form. It is an integral part of Sanatan Dharam and the ABAP does not accord recognition to such akhadas.

Q. Is the decision of Sadhvi Pragya to contest elections after becoming Mahamandaleshwar justified?

Ans. After one becomes a seer and is anointed Mahamandaleshwar, he/she rises above worldly things. If she is a seer, she should have had the wisdom which would not have allowed her take this decision.

Ans. Firstly, no seer will speak like this, leave alone a Mahamandaleshwar, and that too for a martyr? And if at all her curse is so powerful, she should give it to Digvijay Singh. Why contest polls?

Q. Named in 34 cases, BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj also calls himself a seer. He spent a month in Tihar jail on rape charges

Ans. The police cases and category of charges speaks for itself.

Q. Sakshi Maharaj recently asked people to vote for him or face his curse

Ans. Let us see whether it works or not.

 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kenneth John

Kenneth John is a seasoned journalist with over three decades of reporting experience with different national dailies. As a correspondent with Hindustan Times, he is known for his impactful grassroots journalism, focusing on stories that amplify the voices of marginalised communities and bring issues of public concern into the spotlight. Over the years, he has reported extensively on education, women and child welfare, health, crime, infrastructure, environment, human rights, rural development, poverty, and public policy. His work has consistently highlighted the challenges faced by vulnerable sections of society, particularly in rural and underserved regions. Recognised for his investigative and human-interest reporting, his notable stories include exposing severe child malnutrition in eastern Uttar Pradesh, where he documented instances of children eating mud to cope with extreme hunger. These reports drew attention to serious gaps in welfare delivery and prompted discussions on policy intervention and accountability. A keen observer of social and cultural transformations, he has covered three Mahakumbhs and two Kumbh Melas at Prayagraj’s Sangam, reporting on their religious, social, cultural, and administrative dimensions. Among his most widely discussed exclusives was the story on Uttar Pradesh’s first all-women gang, “D39,” in Kaushambi, revealing how poverty, child marriage, and domestic abuse pushed several women toward crime. His journalism continues to combine investigative rigour with deep human sensitivity.

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