Remembering Swami Sri Lakshmanananda Sarswati who fought against conversion and cow slaughtering till his last breath

Justice for Swami Sri Lakshmanananda Sarswati, a Hindu monk still awaits after his assassination 14 years ago. He was brutally killed by fanatic Christian Missionaries and the Maoist Gangs in the Kandhamal District of Odisha. And the reason is quite obvious that Swami Sri Lakshmanananda Sarswati was fighting for the illegal conversion and cow slaughtering that was taking place in Odisha's tribal belt.

 

 

He was wholly devoted to preserving and protecting the tribal culture and dharma and taught the people to protect cattle from slaughter. On several occasions, he staged demonstrations, dharnas and participated in the hunger strike in several parts of the state. He toured throughout the state for this cause.

 

 

Apart from this, he was also dedicated to imparting education to all the tribals. He had started night school for adult education and a Sanskrit School named Kalyan Ashram, Sanskrit Vidyalaya at Chakapad in the year 1969 which has now been elevated as a Sanskrit college. For the education of the girls, he established 'Sankaracharya Kanyashram' a wholly residential school at Jalespata in Kandhamal, in the year 1988 where 250 girls students are studying. He also established a school at Banki and ashram at panigola in the Angul district.

 

Swamiji also taught grammar to the students in the class as well as techniques of good cultivation in the field. Due to his efforts, farmers in Udaygira and Raikia areas produce the best quality and highest quantity of beans in Odisha. They also formed a vegetable cooperative society at Katingia. Through these efforts, the economic condition of the local population improved a lot.

 

Now we can see greenery everywhere in Kandhamal because it has more forest cover than any other district. It is all due to Swamiji's efforts. He also established "Matths” on the hilltops in several parts of the district and told the villagers that the trees on the hill belong to matths and the village community.

 

 

From 1970 to December 2007, Swami Ji was attacked 8 times. But in spite of these attacks, he continued to oppose conversions of forest dwellers into Christianity. Swamiji used to say- "Whatever they try, they will not be able to obstruct the divine work.” One such instance was when Swamiji was on his way to visit Brahmanigoan village and a bus belonging to Sugriba Singh, a Panna Christian leader and Biju Janata Dal Member of Parliament (Lower House) obstructed the road. Swamiji was attacked on the spot- Swami, his driver and his security guard had all sustained injuries.

 

In a statement, Swamiji had identified Radha Kanta Nayak, an Indian National Congress Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha, as being involved in the attack. Radha Kanta Nayak also served as chief of the Christian-evangelical organization World Vision. Swamiji had further stated that this was the seventh time that they had failed to kill him. Even before his murder on August 23, 2008, Swamiji received 3 letters of death threats.

 

 

Though huge demonstrations took place after the murder and indiscriminate arrest of a large number of Hindus happened, the administration tried all their might to cover up Swamiji's assassination. No efforts have been made by the government or administration to arrest the culprits (the Christian militants) and siege the illegal weapons kept by them.

 

The roles of Christian NGOs were not investigated. It felt they were protecting Christians and harassing Hindus. Hundreds of Hindus were arrested but very few Christians were interrogated. Lakhs of rupees were provided to the churches and other Christian organizations as relief, even though they weren’t damaged during that period.

 

We pay tributes to Swami Sri Lakshmanananda Saraswati on his birth anniversary who dedicated his life to opposing illegal conversions by Christian missionaries and cow slaughtering!