‘Hindutva strangulated’: Shiv Sena seeks CBI probe into Narendra Giri’s death
Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut said Narendra Giri was an important seer, who was at the forefront of Ayodhya-Ram Janmabhoomi movement. Raut said Giri's death was “suspicious” and even though it was being called a case of death by suicide, his followers believed it to be a case of “murder”
Shiv Sena on Tuesday attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Uttar Pradesh government over the death of seer Narendra Giri in mysterious circumstances, and claimed that “Hindutva was strangulated in Uttar Pradesh.” The leader of former BJP ally sought a CBI probe into Giri’s death in line with the demand by some other political parties.
Giri was the head of Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad, which is the apex decision-making body of the 13 recognised Hindu monastic orders of the country. He was found hanging from a ceiling fan in his room at his Prayagraj Math on Monday evening. A purported suicide note was found from his room and it named his disciple, Anand Giri, and two others, police said. All these three people have been arrested. Police also said that his disciples at math had said that the Mahant’s room was bolted from inside. However, some have expressed surprise at the mysterious circumstances surrounding his death.
Sena leader and chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut said Narendra Giri was an “important seer”, who was at the forefront of Ayodhya-Ram Janmabhoomi movement and his death was “suspicious” and even though it was being called a case of death by suicide, his followers believed it to be a case of “murder”.
“When Sadhus were killed by a mob in Palghar, that time the BJP called it an attack on Hindutva and hue and cry was raised from Uttar Pradesh as well. The manner in which Narendra Giri’s suspicious death has come to light, I think someone has strangulated Hindutva in Uttar Pradesh. This case should also be probed by CBI or the Central Bureau of Investigation. The mysterious death should be probed independently,” Raut said in New Delhi.
Raut was referring to the lynching of two Hindu ascetics and their driver in April 2020 at Gadchinchale village in Palghar district. Following the lynching incident, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath had called his Maharashtra counterpart, seeking stringent action against the perpetrators of the crime.
A senior UP police officer said that the suicide note said that though Giri wanted to live with dignity, he was unhappy due to some reasons. He claimed that his disciples have confirmed that the handwriting in the note was that of Mahant Narendra Giri but anything concrete could be said only after proper investigations.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UP CM Yogi Adityanath condoled Giri’s death. Expressing sorrow on his death, the PM hailed Giri for playing a vital role in uniting saints of different streams while remaining true to the spiritual traditions. Adityanath termed his death a huge loss to the spiritual world.
Deputy UP CM Dinesh Sharma, while expressing sadness over the seer’s death, said the state government will get it investigated.
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