Violence does not help any religion: Sankaracharya

While declining to comment on the arrest of a Hindu sadhvi from Surat in connection with the Malegaon blast, Sankaracharya of Dwarka Swami Swaroopananda Saraswati said on Saturday that violence would not serve the interest of any religion.

“I cannot comment on the arrest unless the guilt of the arrested is conclusively proved. But I can say that such explosions do not serve the interest of any religion, be it Hindu or Muslim,” the seer said when asked to comment on the arrest of the sadhvi suspected to have links with a Hindu right wing group.

Stating that even Muslim leaders agreed on the futility of violence, he said, “you go to a war only when you are attacked. But when ordinary people get killed in market places and hospitals, how can it serve the purpose of any religion?”

The sadhvi, whose name has not been revealed, was arrested by the Mumbai Anti-Terrorism Squad from Surat about eight days ago in connection with the Malegaon and Modasa blasts. The Mumbai ATS is probing the hand of Hindu right wing organisation in the Malegaon blasts.