PRAYAGRAJ: The present secretary of Shri Panchayati Akhara Niranjani, Mahant Ravindra Puri, will be the new president of the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad – the all-important supreme Hindu religious body of the country’s 13 monasteries.ABAPHe will replace Mahant Narendra Giri, who allegedly committed suicide on September 20 in the premises of the city’s Baghambari Math.
Puri was elected as the new president of ABAP in a meeting of saints convened by Hari Giri, the general secretary of ABAP, the chief patron of Juna Akhara. Representatives of seven of the 13 akhadas of the country had come for the meeting, after which it is now clear that the ABAP is now divided into two groups.
Puri was supported by seven akhadas whose representatives attended the meeting. As per custom, two members from each of the 13 akhadas are members of the ABAP. The ABAP has 28 members in all, with the president and general secretary an additional two.
Earlier due to rebellion within the council, the sadhus of the seven akhadas held a meeting in Haridwar on 21 October and chose Mahant Ravindra Puri. Mahanirvani Akhara As the President of ABAP. Akhadas including Mahanirvani, Atal, Nirmohi Aani, Nirvani Aani, Digambar Aani, Bada Akhara Udasi and Nirmal Akhara participated in the meeting. The new executive committee was formed in the meeting held in the premises of Shri Mahanirvani Akhara, Kankhal, Haridwar. Besides Ravindra Puri, the president of Nirmohi Ani Akhara, Shri Mahant Rajendra Das Elected General Secretary.
Along with him Damodar Das Maharaj was appointed as Vice President, Jaswinder Singh Shastri as Treasurer, Ram Kishore Das Maharaj as Minister, Gaurishankar Das Maharaj as Spokesperson and Dharamdas Maharaj and Maheshwar Das were appointed as patrons in the new executive.
However, Hari Giri, general secretary of Juna Akhara, ABAP, termed the election as a malicious attempt to divide the ABAP and did not recognize it.
“As I had already called a meeting of ABAP on October 25, if these Akharas had any intention to prove their majority, they should have attended the said meeting and elected their leader. After all, the ABAP elects its office bearers democratically who shy away from contesting elections because every member of the ABAP has the right to run for any other office of president.”
It has been a practice in ABAP that the Council meets only when it is called by the Secretary-General.
Monday’s meeting was held with a one-point agenda, that is, the election of a new president. A meeting of the Akhara Parishad will be called again after three months for the selection of the rest of the executive members.
Puri was elected as the new president of ABAP in a meeting of saints convened by Hari Giri, the general secretary of ABAP, the chief patron of Juna Akhara. Representatives of seven of the 13 akhadas of the country had come for the meeting, after which it is now clear that the ABAP is now divided into two groups.
Puri was supported by seven akhadas whose representatives attended the meeting. As per custom, two members from each of the 13 akhadas are members of the ABAP. The ABAP has 28 members in all, with the president and general secretary an additional two.
Earlier due to rebellion within the council, the sadhus of the seven akhadas held a meeting in Haridwar on 21 October and chose Mahant Ravindra Puri. Mahanirvani Akhara As the President of ABAP. Akhadas including Mahanirvani, Atal, Nirmohi Aani, Nirvani Aani, Digambar Aani, Bada Akhara Udasi and Nirmal Akhara participated in the meeting. The new executive committee was formed in the meeting held in the premises of Shri Mahanirvani Akhara, Kankhal, Haridwar. Besides Ravindra Puri, the president of Nirmohi Ani Akhara, Shri Mahant Rajendra Das Elected General Secretary.
Along with him Damodar Das Maharaj was appointed as Vice President, Jaswinder Singh Shastri as Treasurer, Ram Kishore Das Maharaj as Minister, Gaurishankar Das Maharaj as Spokesperson and Dharamdas Maharaj and Maheshwar Das were appointed as patrons in the new executive.
However, Hari Giri, general secretary of Juna Akhara, ABAP, termed the election as a malicious attempt to divide the ABAP and did not recognize it.
“As I had already called a meeting of ABAP on October 25, if these Akharas had any intention to prove their majority, they should have attended the said meeting and elected their leader. After all, the ABAP elects its office bearers democratically who shy away from contesting elections because every member of the ABAP has the right to run for any other office of president.”
It has been a practice in ABAP that the Council meets only when it is called by the Secretary-General.
Monday’s meeting was held with a one-point agenda, that is, the election of a new president. A meeting of the Akhara Parishad will be called again after three months for the selection of the rest of the executive members.
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