Swami Madhavanand Saraswati, senior Shankaracharya of Prayag Peeth today demanded that Jayendra Saraswati should resign as Chief of Kanchi Mutt following his arrest, saying, "this would save the reputation of Hindu religion."
"Swami Jayendra Saraswati of Kanchi should immediately resign from his post so that the respect and dignity of the post occupied by him is protected and it would save the reputation of Hindu religion," Madhavanand Saraswati told reporters in New Delhi.
However, he was critical of the Tamil Nadu government for keeping him in jail and felt that instead Jayendra Saraswati should have been kept under police guard at his Ashram.
Madhavanand Saraswati wanted a legislation which would ensure that no religious heads like Shankaracharya are arrested and he should be put on par with President and Prime Minister of the country.
However, he was critical of political parties trying to get "political mileage" out of the arrest of the Kanchi seer saying that this should not be done as it was not in the interests of religion.
Madhavanand Saraswati said no tax should be imposed on the income of religious institutions and places as it would hurt the feelings of donors and those institutions which are in bad shape financially should be provided government assistance.