FOR 28 years now, VHP’s Sant Sammelan and Dharma Sabha have been an annual fixture in Allahabad. But this year, the gathering at Magh Mela grounds was a little different — this was the first time a serving chief minister of Uttar Pradesh attended the event. Friday saw scores of sadhus from across the country throng to the gathering, primarily to hear “what CM Yogi Adityanath has to say about the Ram temple”. They were left disappointed, as Adityanath — the last speaker — steered cleared of the issue. Earlier in the day, however, sadhus expressed joy on having “one of our own” as head of the state. The common refrain was — “now, seers will neither have to protest nor agitate for Ram Mandir” because “Yogi at the state and Modi at the Centre will ensure that it will be built”. Narendra Giri, head of All India Akhara Parishad, and a few others, however, were quick to temper the exuberance over the Ram mandir, as they reminded the audience that the matter was pending in the Supreme Court. Around 3 pm, a speech was halted mid-sentence with Vedic chants. Adityanath arrived and paid respects to all the seers. Without mentioning Ram temple, he insisted that sadhus need not ask for anything now. “In a country where sadhus do not get anything even when they beg, the Prime Minister, without our asking, has made a sadhu the CM. So, now we do not need to ask for anything.,” he told the gathering. “.the country now has a government that has brought pride to the country. We have such a great PM. who has re-instilled pride in the country. Did seers have to beg to get their century-old tradition of yoga adopted by the people? Yoga on its own achieved international recognition after Modi came to power.” Similar, he said, was Kumbh Mela being recognised as an intangible cultural heritage by the UNESCO last year without the seers asking for it. “So, I feel every work is being fulfilled on its own. I am also one of you. I have not changed.The PM made a sadhu a CM. And now, we will change this good deed into responsible work. As soon as I assumed charge, illegal slaughterhouses were closed down and cow slaughter stopped. But now, I am being blamed for stray cattle destroying crops.” Appealing to the sadhus to come to the rescue of the stray cattle, he said: “Should we just leave them to be slaughtered? No, that will be a sin. Instead, if the 12 lakh sadhus in the country, who have their own ashrams and resources, take up the responsibility of caring for these cows, it will be a great service to the nation.” The government will make fodder and other resources available, he assured. Though the CM made no mention of Ram temple, it was the most common topic of discussion among the audience. Ram Naik, a government school teacher, said it was only a matter of time before the temple would be built. “This is a rare time. the situation when Modi is in power at the Centre and Yogi in the state won’t come again. They will together build the mandir. There will be no obstacle from any government.”
