Mahant Avaidyanath (born Kripal Singh Bisht, 28 May 1921 – 12 September 2014) was an Indian politician and

Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

preacher. He was the Mahant (chief priest) of Gorakhnath Temple, succeeding his guru

Digvijay Nath Mahant Digvijay Nath (born Nanhu Singh; 1894–1969) was the mahant (), of the Gorakhnath Math in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, Gorakhpur, India. He was also a Hindutva, Hindu nationalist activist and a politician of the Hindu Mahasabha, who was arr ...

. He was also a politician of the

Hindu Mahasabha The Hindu Mahasabha (officially Akhil Bhārat Hindū Mahāsabhā, ) is a Hindu nationalist political party in India. Founded in 1915, the Mahasabha functioned mainly as a pressure group advocating the interests of orthodox Hindus before the B ...

and, later Bharatiya Janata Party, being elected to the Lok Sabha from Gorakhpur four times. He played an important role in the Ram Janmabhoomi movement. He was the mentor and guru of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.As Yogi Adityanath's Village Celebrates His Rise, Advice From His Father
NDTV News, 20 March 2017.

Career

Religious

Avaidyanath succeeded '' Mahant''

as the head of Gorakhnath Math. Upon his death in 2014, he was succeeded by Yogi Adityanath (Ajay Mohan Bisht).

Political

Avaidyanath was elected MLA from Maniram Assembly segment five times – 1962, 1967, 1969 (resigned mid-term), 1974 and 1977, variously as Independent or Hindu Mahasabha's or Janata Party's candidate. He was elected Lok Sabha member from Gorakhpur as an Independent candidate in 1970 but lost 1971 General Election when Indira wave swept India. He won again in 1989 as candidate of

. He was elected MP from the same seat in 1991 and 1996 as Bharatiya Janata Party nominee. He retired from electoral politics after that, and his protege Yogi Adityanath was elected to Lok Sabha in 1998 General Election.

Religio-political

Mahant Avaidyanath was a leader of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, founding the ''Sri Ramjanmabhoomi Mukti Yagna Samiti'' (Committee of sacrifice to liberate Ram's birthplace) in 1984. In September of that year, the ''Samiti'' launched a "religious procession with Hindu nationalist slogans" from Sitamarhi in Bihar to Ayodhya, with the mission of 'liberating' the Ram temple. Avaidyanath gave sermons exhorting the listeners to give votes only to those parties that promised to liberate the Hindu sacred places.

Death

He died on 12 September 2014 in Gorakhpur.

Prime Minister of India The prime minister of India (IAST: ) is the head of government of the Republic of India. Executive authority is vested in the prime minister and their chosen Council of Ministers, despite the president of India being the nominal head of the ...

, Narendra Modi said he was "Saddened over the demise of Mahant Avaidyanath ji. He will be remembered for his patriotic zeal and determined efforts to serve society." Home Minister Rajnath Singh and UP BJP president Laxmikant Bajpai also sent condolences on his death.

Commemoration

A stamp is being released to mark the first death anniversary of Avaidyanath, who was also spiritual father of the current UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. He died on 12 September 2014 at the age of 93.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Avaidyanath, Mahant Bharatiya Janata Party politicians from Uttar Pradesh People from Gorakhpur India MPs 1967–1970 India MPs 1989–1991 Lok Sabha members from Uttar Pradesh India MPs 1991–1996 India MPs 1996–1997 Uttar Pradesh MLAs 1962–1967 Indian Hindu missionaries 1921 births 2014 deaths Hindu Mahasabha politicians