Sonbhadra (UP), May 11 (PTI): Swami Avimukteshwaranand on Monday reacted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal for austerity amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia, saying the government should first sell its “Rs 8,000 crore aircraft” and use fuel-efficient planes before asking people to cut on expenses.
Pointing out that the US dollar was nearing Rs 100, the seer told reporters during his ‘Govisht Yatra’ in Sonbhadra that austerity measures should begin with those in power.
“First, sell the aircraft worth Rs 8,000 crore and use a fuel-efficient plane. Dharma begins at home,” he said when asked about the prime minister’s appeal to avoid unnecessary gold purchase, foreign travel, and fuel consumption amid the West Asia crisis.
The Jyotish Peeth Shankaracharya also claimed that the cow population has declined fastest in Uttar Pradesh compared to states like West Bengal and Kerala, and said he was now working to “make voters aware” as political parties and leaders had “failed to stop cow slaughter”.
Citing government data, he said cow population had increased by 8 per cent in Kerala, 15 per cent in West Bengal and 24 per cent in Jharkhand, while Uttar Pradesh recorded the sharpest decline.
“Leaders and political parties have failed to stop cow slaughter. Therefore, we are now reaching out to cow-loving voters and making them aware,” he said.
The seer also alleged that some leaders were “polishing their politics” by taking money from those involved in cow slaughter, noting that to expect a ban on cow slaughter under such circumstances was futile.
“Voters should not support such people,” he said.
According to the Shankaracharya, the main objective of his Yatra ahead of next year’s Assembly polls is to create awareness among the voters about the protection and restoration of the dignity of cows.
Targeting the Uttar Pradesh government, he called it a “paper tiger” and alleged that the condition of cows at the government-run shelters was poor.
In a remark aimed at Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, he said the position of a seer was “higher than that of a king”.
“Yogi Adityanath accepted the post of chief minister while being a seer, thereby stepping down from his higher position. Now he is a chief minister, not a seer,” he said.
Modi on Sunday called for the judicious use of fuel, the postponement of gold purchases and foreign travel, among other measures, to strengthen the economy amid the conflict in West Asia.
Addressing a rally in Hyderabad, Modi suggested reducing petrol and diesel consumption, using Metro rail services in cities, carpooling, increased use of electric vehicles, utilising railway services for parcel movement and working from home to conserve foreign exchange. PTI COR KIS ARI ARI
(This story is published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. No editing has been done in the headline or the body by ABP Live.)
