Friday, January 13 2006 17:56 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Sagar Island (WB): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is at present in a quagmire due to 'lack of faith' in a single leader by party workers and other leaders, said Sankaracharya of Puri Swami Nischalananda Saraswati today (Jan 13, 2006).

The main opposition party in the Lok Sabha is a 'divided house' and the craving for power was the main reason for the 'bad state the BJP is in at present', the Sankaracharya said.

The Sankaracharya, now here on occasion of the Makar Sankranti, lamented that none of the main Hindu organisations was in a 'sound position' at present due to infighting and lack of direction.

He said that Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief K S Sudarshan would meet him in Puri early next month to discuss these issues and chalk out future plans on uniting Hindu organisations.

Regarding the controversy over Swami Ramdev's medicines, the Sankaracharya said, "Jo channelke madhyam se uthaya jata hai, woh channelke madhyam se bhi girta hai" (whoever has been propped up through TV channels, can be brought down by them).

"This has happened with Chandraswami and Kanchi Sankaracharya earlier. And now it is happening with Ramdev" he added.

The Sankaracharya said if the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Rajya Sabha MP Brinda Karat's allegation of Ramdev's medicines containing bone dust of animals was proved to be true, then he must be condemned for playing with Hindu sentiment.

"But, if it is to the contrary, then there certainly is a political conspiracy against the guru," he said.

"Then it would be proved that some of the political leaders are playing into the hands of MNCs and helping business interests of foreign countries."

He said that if Ramdev was acting as a religious guru, then he should not use animal bones in medicines.

"But if he is merely acting as an Ayurvedic doctor," he may use these as there are provisions for such use in Ayurvedic medicines," he added.