NEW DELHI: Supreme Court on Monday refused to intervene on controversial statement made by Shankaracharya of Dwarkapeeth Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati regarding worshipping Sai Baba .

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Sai Baba devotees can file a civil suit or criminal case against Shankaracharya if their right to worship has been hampered, the apex court said.

Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati had ran down the followers of Shirdi Sai Baba, saying they ought not to worship the 19th century mystic who was no God, and remove his photographs and idols from temples where he gets the pride of place with Hindu deities.

The 90-year-old pontiff's comments hurt a legion of Sai devotees. There were protests both against and in support of Shankaracharya's observations.

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What The Seer Said:

"Hinduism is governed by Shastra and Vedas and there is no mention of Sai Baba. He should not be worshipped with Hindu gods... Muslims don't revere Sai Baba as much as Hindus do, who seem unaware of the 'adharma' they commit by worshipping him."

"They may burn my effigy or even send me to jail, but my campaign to protect the sanctity of the Hindu religion will continue... Sai Baba was a Muslim faqir who cannot be compared to Hindu deities or worshipped like them."

(With inputs from PTI)

