Yogi Adityanath Responds to Akhilesh Yadav on Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand and Magh Mela Controversy

By Samira Vishwas On Feb 13, 2026

CM Yogi Adityanath on Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Magh Mela Controversy: In the budget session of Uttar Pradesh Assembly, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath attacked SP chief Akhilesh Yadav. Swami Avimukteshwarananda controversy Have retaliated regarding. Responding to Akhilesh Yadav’s allegations on the issue of stopping saints from Magh Mela, CM Yogi said in a strict tone that the post of Shankaracharya is definitely respected, but no person can be above the law and rules.

CM Yogi Said that if someone wants to worship someone like SP, then worship him, but his government believes in the rule of law and knows how to follow the rules. He reminded that lathicharge had taken place in Varanasi on the same issue and raised the question as to what the SP government had done then.

Every person cannot write Shankaracharya, cannot spoil the environment by going as Acharya of every bench, no person can be above the law, we are people associated with the constitutional system of India and I believe that every citizen of India should follow the law… pic.twitter.com/Wa3T2nWjMk
— Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) February 13, 2026

No person is above the law: Yogi

CM Yogi said that every person cannot write as Shankaracharya and cannot spoil the environment everywhere by going as Acharya of every bench. He said that no person can be above the law, we are people associated with the constitutional system of India and I believe that every citizen of India should obey the law…

Stop misleading the society in the name of Lokmata, in the name of Shankaracharya, in the name of SIR or in the name of anyone else… pic.twitter.com/aw3YtqG146
— Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) February 13, 2026

Referring to the arrangements of Magh Mela, the Chief Minister said that when crores of devotees are present in Prayagraj Magh Mela, then it is necessary to strictly implement the rules for security. If someone tries to go through the restricted route, a dangerous situation like a stampede can occur.

What is the whole controversy?

Actually, during the Magh Mela, Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati wanted to go to Sangam along with his followers in a chariot, but the administration did not allow him to go by chariot and asked him to go on foot. Calling it an insult, Swami Avimukteshwarananda started a protest and boycotted bathing. Later the administration also issued notices to him, in which there was mention of the ongoing dispute in the court regarding his post of Shankaracharya.

Now after CM Yogi’s statement in the Assembly on this entire incident, the political heat has increased further. It is believed that this controversy may flare up again.