Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopananda Saraswati's attack on Sai Baba reaches Supreme Court

The row over Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopananda Saraswati's controversial statement on Shirdi Sai Baba reached the Supreme Court on Wednesday.

Mumbai-based Saidham charitable trust filed a plea seeking direction to the Centre and Maharashtra government to restrain Shankaracharya from making "derogatory" statements against Sai Baba which will hurt the sentiment of the devotees.

On June 23, Shankaracharya had said that Sai Baba was not a god and hence should not be worshiped. His followers alleged that Sai Baba was a Muslim and on August 24 and 25 a conclave namely Dharamsansad was held at Kawardha village in Chhatisgarh to decide on the issue.

The trust's plea sought a direction restraining Shankaracharya from interfering and obstructing the worship of Sai Baba in temples and that his followers should not remove Baba's idol from any temple.

Justice Anil R Dave, before whom the matter was mentioned for a early hearing, on Wednesday recused from hearing the matter saying that he has been associated with the trust and would not be appropriate for him to hear the plea.

Filing the plea through advocate Nachiketa Joshi, the trust sought for an order to the governments to ensure that the law and order situation in the country does not deteriorate pursuant to the unwanted controversy created by Sankaracharya.

The trust said the print as well as electronic media should not publish Shankaracharya's statement defaming Sai Baba.

"Restrain all types of media from the telecast/publish of any information which insults and defame Shri Sai Baba or affects the sentiments and feeling of his devotees. Direct Centre and Maharashtra govt to ensure that no one causes any interference or hindrance in any manner in the worship of Shri Sai Baba in any of the temples across India," the trust said in its petition before the court.