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An Income Tax notice has been issued to 13 akharas and three ashrams for not furnishing details of how they spent the money given to them by the state government during the Kumbh Mela of 2019.
These notices have been issued as part of an audit of government funds during the Kumbh which took place in Prayagraj between January 15 and March 4.
The religious confluence was widely praised for its management.
Among others, the notices have been issued to Narendra Giri, the chairperson of the All India Akhara Parishad, and Swami Vasudevanand Saraswati who is a member of the Sri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust that has been tasked with the building of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
Money was given to various akharas and maths during the Kumbh to develop lodging facilities and kitchens for their members.
An akhara is a communal religious monastery. Members of an akhara bear allegiance to the same guru and follow similar modes of worship. As members have renounced the world, arrangements for their boarding and lodging are made by the akhara.
The tax notices have been issued for non-submission of details of government money spent.
The akharas to which notices have been issued include the Panchayati akhara Mahanirvani, Panch Atal, Panchayati Akhara Niranjani, Taponidhi Anand, Panchdashanam Juna, Panchdashanam Ahavahan, Panchdashanam panch Agni, Digambar Ani, Nirvami Ani, Panch Nirmohi Ani, Panchayati Bada Udaseen and the Nirmal Panchayati Akhara. On the list of maths that have been issued notices are Baghbari Gaddi Math (headed by Narendra Giri), Sachcha Baba, Alopi Bagh mandir, and Brahmn Niwas Shankracharya ashram.
The state government had provided crores of rupees to the 13 akharas of the state. The bulk of this money had gone to akharas in Prayagraj. This had invited criticism by the opposition which had said that the government was diverting funds earmarked for development works to push the political agenda of the Bharitya Janata Party.
