Not cosying upto BJP, says Amritanandamayi

Image
Press Trust of India Kollam (Ker)
Last Updated : Sep 11 2015 | 10:42 PM IST
Spiritual leader Mata Amritanandamayi today said she was not warming upto BJP or any other political party and her wish is only to establish 'dharma'.
Amritanandamayi, popularly addressed as 'Amma' by her followers, was talking to reporters after handing over a cheque of Rs 100 crore to Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley for the construction of toilets under the Namami Gange and Swachh Bharat programmes.
Asked whether the Amritanandamayi mutt was moving close to BJP-led NDA government, she said, party or government is irrelevant to her.
"As far as I am concerned, it is not politics or government that concerns me. What is important to me is to establish dharma irrespective of governments," she said.
However, she wanted everybody to work together to realise Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Swachh Bharat dream.
Also known as "hugging mother", she wanted all states, through which the river Ganga flows, to ensure that the effluents from the factories were not discharged into the river before being treated and to create awareness among local people on the necessity of using toilets.
She said the mutt had donated Rs 100 crore for the ambitious programmes based on her meeting with Modi in March this year.
"This project will provide much-needed amenities to those who truely need them. Along with toilet construction, education is also required. The villagers need to be taught that open defecation leads to water and soil pollution," she said.
The mutt would also donate another Rs 100-crore for the construction of toilets across Kerala, she added.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Sep 11 2015 | 10:42 PM IST

Next Story