New Delhi, June 26: Accusing the government of using religious leaders for political gains, Shankaracharya of Puri Adhokshjanand Devteerth today said that Kanchi seer Jayendra Saraswati should not get involved on the Ayodhya issue.
He told reporters that the Kanchi pontiff, whom he held in high esteem, was being "used as a tool" by political leaders on the sensitive issue. Stating that construction of Ram temple was a religious issue concerning everyone, the Puri seer came down heavily on political leaders for using religion for political gains.
He demanded a legislation to ban organisations which "vitiate" the atmosphere and spread "communal hatred" in the country and said he stood by a joint declaration signed by various religious leaders on March 9 last year, just before the ‘shiladaan’, which said the verdict of the supreme court on Ayodhya would be binding on both communities.

Bureau Report