Sannyasis who were staying at the Kanjanur Temple of Madurai Adheenam were attacked by rogues.
Kanjanur (Thanjavur) – May 29, 2012
A press meet was held at 12 pm to protest against the inhuman treatment being meted out to the Dhyanapeetam Brahmachari’s at Kanjanoor who are taking care of the 4 temples in Tanjore district. The Brahmachari’s who used to work as engineers before taking up the path of service and spirituality were at the temple taking care of the renovation work for Madurai Adheenam, when they were surrounded by 40 thugs sent by the people who are against Swamiji being coronated as the 293rd Pontiff of Madhura Adheenam. Soon after the press meet Swamiji left for Kanjanoor along with devotees and disciples to stay there for a day and take care of the issues himself.
Below is a gist of the press release that went out today:
In a shocking act of violence by the Shaivite Maths opposing H.H. Paramahamsa Nithyananda, the henchmen of 2 Shaivite establishments assaulted Sri Nithya Hamsananda (administrative head of the four major Madurai Aadheenam temples) and and Sri Nithya Paramamanda, both sannyasis and disciples of 293rd pontiff of Madurai Aadeenam, His Holiness Paramahamsa Nithyananda. The two sannyasis were in Kanjanur to supervise the accounts, audiiting and operations of the ancient Kanjanur Agneeshwara temple of Madurai Aadheenam. The disgraceful incident occurred when the two sannyasis came out of the Kanjanur Temple on 29th May after offering morning worship.
A group of around 40 rowdies who openly identified themselves as ‘messengers’ of Kumaraswami Tambiran (junior pontiff of Dharmapuram Aadheenam) and Muthukumara Swamigal (pontiff of Tiruppananthal Matham) closed in on the sannyasis, attacking them verbally and physically, threatening their life, seizing their cellphones and Rs. 100,000/- in cash, and smashing the car in which they had come. The rowdies also abused the two sannyasis, saying, ‘Our Swami has already told you not to enter this temple, then what are you doing here?’
A complaint has been filed against the two junior pontiffs by both the victims at Tiruppananthal Police Station under IPC sections 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 506B (criminal intimidation). Fortunately, the entire incident was videotaped by another devotee and the video has been handed over to the police. The two sannyasis have also been taken to the local hospital for immediate medical care as it is suspected that one of them has suffered a fracture.Madurai Aadheenam is the hereditary trustee of Kanjanur Temple and has certain rights and responsibilities related to worship and maintenance of the temple.
On 16th May this year, both the pontiffs of Madurai Aadheenam had visited Kanjanur and announced a range of services to be provided shortly to the people of Kanjanur, including clean drinking water, hygienic toilets and drainage facilities, and a 20-bed hospital whose construction has already started.
Press Meet: Addressing a press meet at Madurai Aadheenam along with his predecessor Srila Sri Arunagirinatha Sri Gnanasambanda Desika Paramacharya Swamigal within a few hours after the incident, Paramahamsa Nithyananda condemned the disgraceful incident which was neither spiritually nor legally permissible. “Just think about it, we need to fight to enter our own temple!,” he observed.
It may be recalled that both the offending maths had been part of a group that passed a resolution earlier this month, questioning the coronation of Paramahamsa Nithyananda as the 293rd pontiff of Madurai Aadheenam. As such a resolution could not be upheld legally, the two Aadheenams had resorted to such illegal measures to disrupt the law. Strongly condemning the incident, which he revealed to be a planned assault, Paramahamsa Nithyananda held Dharmapuram Aadheenam and Tiruppananthal Matham wholly responsible for the assault and requested that those responsible for the violence be arrested.Soon after the press meet, both Madurai Aadheenam pontiffs left for Kanjanur village to assess the situation. Tomorrow a silent rally will be held by devotees and supporters to protest against the incident. Madurai Aadheenam would also request police protection for its appointees in anticipation of further such violence.
Declaring that such untoward incidents would not stop Madurai Aadheenam from continuing with its social service activities, Paramahamsa Nithyananda announced that free medical camps and meditation camps would be held every alternate weekend at Madurai Aadheenam. The current annandaanam facilities were also being expanded to accommodate more people. Paramahamsa Nithyananda also revealed that the first overseas branch of Madurai Aadheenam would open shortly at two locations viz. San Jose and Los Angeles in California, USA.