Puri: The Shankaracharya of the Govardhan Peeth in Puri, Nischalananda Saraswati condemned the arrest of the Kanchi Seer Swami Jayendra Saraswati and demanded his immediate release.

The Tamil Nadu Government should release him honouring the position he held in the Hindu society and express regret for the act, the Puri Seer told newsmen.

This is the result of a political and international conspiracy against the Kanchi Shankaracharya, he alleged.

Spotlight: Kanchi Jayendra Saraswathi's Arrest

My duty is to oppose injustice and the way the Kanchi seer has been treated is not justified, the Shankaracharya, who earlier addressed a gathering of devotees at the Goverdhan Mutt, said.

This amounted to a blow to the country's pride and the religious traditions and tenets laid down in the scriptures, he said adding no such step should be taken against any Hindu leader in future.

The Gajapati Maharaja of Puri, Dibyasingha Deb, who was present, condemned the arrest of the seer while saying that it was absolutely unthinkable that the seer of his repute can be involved in a criminal or illegal case.