‘Ban’ on Swaminarayan sect to continue, claims Hindu leaders at Limbi meet

The boycott call came amid controversy over some murals showing Lord Hanuman sitting at the feet of Lord Swaminarayan on the walls of the pedestal of a giant statue of Hanuman at the Kashtbhanjandev temple. Some of these murals were defaced Saturday, leading to the arrest of three men.

During Tuesday’s meeting, Hindu leaders decided to constitute two committees – Satya Sanshodhan Samiti (Fact-Finding Committee) and Sanatan Dharma Sankrakshan Samiti (Sanatan Dharma Protection Committee).

“Another meeting will be held within 10 days in Junagadh where these two committees are to be constituted. Due to the ongoing Shravan month, the next meeting is scheduled after 10 days as most of the saints are not in a position to attend it,” Chaitanya Shambhu Maharaj said.

The Satya Sanshodhan Samiti will scrutinise all scriptures of the Swaminarayan sect to check if Hindu gods and goddesses have been shown in a bad light, the organisers of the meet said.

Also, Dr Vasantbhai Patel has been given the responsibility to take legal steps ‘for the upliftment of the Sanatan Dharma’ in case gods and goddesses are insulted, they added.

The adherents of the Swaminarayan sect have been urged to not use the epithet, sarvapari (the supreme), for Sahajananda Swami.

“If the saints of the Swaminarayan sect are holding positions in any organisation under the name of Sanatan Dharma, they should resign from that position or be dismissed…” states one of the resolutions passed by the meeting of seers Tuesday.

“…remove from all the temples of the Swaminarayan sect any pictures or idols wherein the gods and goddesses of the Sanatan Dharma are depicted below in rank to Sahajanand Swami or Sahajanand Swami is portrayed as the supreme,” a resolution states.