Tiff with Jaya cost Kanchi seer dear

Political leaders in Tamil Nadu view the arrest of Kanchi seer Jayendra Saraswathi as a commercial and financial falling out between Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalitha and the Kanchi Mutt, with which she had extensive financial dealings.

The last donation by Jayalalitha related to a sriyantra (six-cornered-star considered auspicious by Hindus) in a temple close to Kanchi that was refurbished recently and navratna gems embedded in it. The Tamil Nadu chief minister was supposed to have given the precious stones for the refurbishment, sources said.

Donations worth crores of rupees have been made by Jayalalitha to the mutt. The Kanchi Shankaracharya had come out with an open appeal to all Hindus to side with Jayalalitha during the last Lok Sabha election.

What could have gone wrong in the relationship is some financial mismanagement, Tamil leaders said.

Jayalalitha's foster son Dinakaran was hauled off to jail on charges of narcotics smuggling within months of his celebrated wedding, on which Jayalalitha spent crores of rupees. Thirnavukkarasu, a close political associate and an erstwhile trusted aide, was also prosecuted for violating her trust.

Today, even close allies like the BJP, unsure of the legal ground they stand on, have issued statements circumventing her role in the arrest. The party has merely said that in view of his age and infirmities, the Shankaracharya should not be manhandled. Oddly enough, while the Congress is keeping out of the matter, its workers in UP today demonstrated against the seer's arrest.

Interestingly, the Sringeri Mutt has made no statement at all on the arrest and the subsequent events.

A Hindu organisation today alleged that there was an international conspiracy to tarnish "the good name of the seer". "It is well known that Jayendra Saraswathi was provided security due to the information given by intelligence agencies that he could be harmed," Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Bhakthargal Pervai (Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Devotees Front) convenor Vinayagar Murli said.

He alleged that some politicians had also "conspired to fabricate the case against the Shankaracharya with an eye on the vast properties of the mutt".

He alleged that some police officials, who were 'sympathisers of some political parties', had shown a "partisan" attitude and targeted the seer.

When pointed out that even some eminent persons had said that the arrest could not have taken place without some evidence, Murali said only time would tell how "true" such evidence was.

Meanwhile, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) today said the Tamil Nadu government should not give in to pressure and allow law to take its course.

"While the case should be pursued with sensitivity, keeping in mind the religious status of the individual concerned, it must be emphasised that this is not a religious matter," CPI(M) said in a statement here.