Mamta Kulkarni Gets Into Trouble Again

Rishi
Ajay
Das,
the
founder
of
the
Kinnar
Akhada,
has
expelled
both
Mamta
Kulkarni
and
Acharya
Mahamandaleshwar
Lakshmi
Narayan
Tripathi
from
the
Akhada.

The
decision
comes
in
the
wake
of
the
controversial


appointment
of
the
former
actor
as
Mahamandaleshwar.

Tripathi
had
allegedly
appointed
Kulkarni
without
the
founder’s
consent,
an
act
that
sparked
considerable
outrage.

According
to
a
press
release
issued
on
January
30,
Rishi
Ajay
Das
noted,
‘As
the
founder
of
Kinnar
Akhada,
I
am
hereby
relieving
Acharya
Mahamandaleshwar
Lakshmi
Narayan
Tripathi
from
his
position
as
Acharya
Mahamandaleshwar
of
the
Kinnar
Akhada,
effective
immediately.

‘His
appointment
was
made
with
the
goal
of
promoting
religious
activities
and
uplifting
the
transgender
community,
but
he
has
deviated
from
these
responsibilities.’

The
controversy
revolves
around
an
agreement
Tripathi
entered
into
with
the
Juna
Akhada
in
2019,
which
Ajay
Das
claims
was
allegedly
done
without
his
approval.
He
further
alleged
that
the
contract
between
the
two
akhadas
was
legally
invalid
due
to
the
lack
of
his
consent
and
signature.

Das
also
accused
Tripathi
of
undermining
the
tenets
of
the
Kinnar
Akhada
by
allowing
Mamta
Kulkarni
to
join
and
take
on
the
prestigious
role
of
Mahamandaleshwar
despite
her
past.

Das
explained
that
Mamta
Kulkarni’s
appointment
was
particularly
concerning
because
of
her
history.

‘By
giving
such
a
person
the
title
of
Mahamandaleshwar,
what
kind
of
guru
are
you
offering
to
Sanatan
Dharma?
This
is
a
question
of
ethics,’
he
wrote.

The
founder
emphasised
that
this
appointment
was
not
only
unethical
but
also
a
betrayal
of
the
Akhada’s
religious
values.

The
expulsion
of
both
individuals
has
ignited
debates
within
the
spiritual
community,
with
the
President
of
the
Akhil
Bharatiya
Akhada
Parishad,
Mahant
Ravindra
Puri,
speaking
out
in
support
of
Tripathi
and
Kulkarni.

Puri
challenged
the
legitimacy
of
Ajay
Das’s
decision,
saying,
‘I
want
to
ask,
who
is
he
(Rishi
Ajay
Das)
to
expel
Laxmi
Narayan
Tripathi?’

He
reiterated
that
both
Tripathi
and
Kulkarni
would
continue
their
roles
within
the
Akhada
and
participate
in
the
upcoming
Amrit
Snan.

The
controversy
over
Mamta
Kulkarni’s
appointment
as
Mahamandaleshwar
began
when
Acharya
Lakshmi
Narayan
Tripathi
publicly
announced
the
decision
during
the
Maha
Kumbh
Mela.

Mamta
Kulkarni
had
stepped
away
from
the
limelight
in
the
early
2000s.
She
returned
to
India
recently
and
was
granted
the
position
of
Mahamandaleshwar
by
Tripathi.

Kathavachak
Jagatguru
Himangi
Sakhi
Maa
had
earlier
raised
concerns
over
Kulkarni’s
appointment,
questioning
her
credibility.

“Mamta
Kulkarni
has
been
made
Mahamandaleshwar
for
publicity.
Society
knows
her
past
very
well,”
Himangi
Sakhi
said
in
a
conversation
with
ANI.