Protests intensify in Banaras as Hindu organizations remove Sai Baba idols from local temples. The Central Brahmin Samad claims they have taken down 14 Sai Baba idols so far and plan to target an additional 28 temples.
These groups argue that Sai Baba, referred to as Chand Baba, is a Muslim saint with no connection to Sanatan Dharma, making his worship in Hindu temples inappropriate. The removal campaign started at the Bada Ganesha Temple in Varanasi late Sunday night, with the Sanatan Mukherjee team joining the effort. The temple’s pujari noted that they installed Sai Baba’s idol in 2013, but if it is deemed unscriptural, they see no problem with its removal.
The organizations involved stress that while they respect individual faith in Sai Baba, they advocate for a separate temple for his worship instead of allowing his idol to coexist with those of other deities.
This issue has historical roots; a nationwide campaign against Sai Baba began in 2014, led by Nanda Saraswati Ram, the Shankaracharya of Dwarka Sharda Peetha and Jyotisha Peetha. He argues that Sanatan Dharma recognizes only specific incarnations of Lord Vishnu, asserting that Sai Baba does not qualify as an avatar.