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Swami Avimukteshwaranand’s ongoing dharna was triggered by a police confrontation on ‘Mauni Amavasya, and he has demanded an apology from Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath
Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati outside his camp during the ongoing Magh Mela 2026, at Sangam in Prayagraj on January 19, 2026. (Image: PTI)
Wrapped in saffron robes, seated on a cold footpath amid the vast expanse of the Magh Mela at Prayagraj, Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati has turned protest into principle.
Swami Avimukteshwaranand’s ongoing dharna, triggered by a police confrontation on ‘Mauni Amavasya’, has transformed a dispute over movement and protocol into a wider religious and political flashpoint.
He is now demanding a formal apology from Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. His protest began after he was allegedly unable to perform the ‘Mauni Amavasya’ snan, one of the most sacred bathing rituals of the Magh Mela. Since then, he has refused to return to his camp or accept administrative hospitality declaring that he will remain on the footpath until the state government acknowledges what he called an “insult to Sanatan tradition and religious authority”.
For more than 24 hours, Swami Avimukteshwaranand abstained from food and water conducting his daily rituals – including pooja and dand-tarpan – at the very spot where the police left him. Addressing a press conference from the protest site, he said the issue went beyond personal inconvenience.
“This is not about Swami Avimukteshwaranand,” he said. “This is about the dignity of the Shankaracharya tradition. If such conduct is accepted, no saint is safe tomorrow.”
THE FLASHPOINT
The confrontation reportedly took place early on Sunday (January 18), when ‘Mauni Amavasya’ – considered one of the most auspicious days of the Magh Mela – drew unprecedented crowds to the Sangam.
The administration later said crores of devotees were simultaneously moving toward the ghats, prompting heightened restrictions to prevent a stampede-like situation. Swami Avimukteshwaranand proceeded toward the Sangam in a palanquin – a practice his disciples said was followed by shankaracharyas for centuries. But police personnel deployed along the route stopped the procession and requested that he alight and proceed on foot, citing extreme crowd density and safety concerns.
Officials said he did not have permission for the procession to move on that route during peak hours. Their request to stop the movement was strongly opposed by his disciples, who argued that established religious protocol cannot be arbitrarily overridden. As tempers flared, supporters attempted to move forward by allegedly breaching police barricades.
What began as a verbal dispute soon escalated into jostling between police and disciples. To control the situation, several followers were detained. In the commotion, allegations surfaced that one ascetic was beaten inside a police outpost further escalating tensions.
Senior administrative and police officials reached the site and attempted to pacify the spiritual guru, urging cooperation in the interest of public safety. Witnesses said officials folded their hands and appealed for calm.
Despite these efforts, the standoff continued for at least two hours with the route to the Sangam remaining tense. As crowd pressure mounted and the impasse showed no signs of resolution, the police decided to pull the palanquin away from the riverfront by nearly a kilometre to ease congestion. During this, a portion of the palanquin reportedly broke allegedly making him unable to perform the ‘Mauni Amavasya’ snan following which he returned to his camp and announced the protest.
ALLEGATIONS AND DEMANDS
In his statement, Swami Avimukteshwaranand accused the police and administration of deliberately humiliating saints and acting under political pressure.
He linked the incident to his earlier criticism of the state government over alleged mismanagement during stampede-like situations at large religious congregations. He alleged that saints who raise uncomfortable questions, particularly on issues such as cow protection, were being selectively targeted.
“When we speak for broken eyesobstacles are created,” Swami Avimukteshwaranand said, stressing that the incident was neither accidental nor isolated.
He demanded an apology from Adityanath, arguing that accountability must come from the highest level. Until then, he said, he will neither take a holy dip nor withdraw his protest.
SAFETY TOP PRIORITY: ADMINISTRATION
Prayagraj district magistrate Manish Kumar Verma rejected allegations of bias or wrongdoing, saying the situation on ‘Mauni Amavasya’ was “extremely sensitive”.
“Crowd safety was our top priority,” he said, adding that supporters had broken barricades and pushed police personnel.
Verma said an inquiry into the entire incident, including allegations against the police, is underway. Officials said by Sunday evening, at least 4.5 crore devotees had already taken the holy dip. The Magh Mela area, spread across nearly 800 hectares, has been divided into seven sectors with 8 km of temporary ghats, monitored through CCTV cameras, drones, and AI-based crowd surveillance systems.
The episode quickly took on political overtones. Congress leaders visited the shankaracharya’s camp, demanding a high-level inquiry and a public apology from the state government. Samajwadi Party president and former Uttar Pradesh CM Akhilesh Yadav termed the incident an insult to saints and Sanatan traditions, questioning whether administrative failure in crowd management was being masked by targeting religious leaders.
Spiritual leader Computer Baba also joined the protest in solidarity, staging a symbolic demonstration near the camp and accusing the administration of repeatedly disrespecting saints.
Prayagraj, India, India
January 20, 2026, 07:00 IST
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