Addressing a press conference, the Shankaracharya, who took charge of the Govardhan Puri Math on February 2, 1995, said religion had been hijacked by certain politicians for selfish reasons.

Describing Advani as ``the greatest blight on the face of Hinduism'' and condemning Singhal for being inalert to the infiltration of the VHP by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), ``which was pursuing its own agenda by creating strife among Indians by posing as VHP workers'', Swami Adhokshajanandaji appealed to the Shankaracharyas of other maths to desist from rubbing shoulders with politicians and re-seize the reins of religion in the interest of the poor. ``I prefer the terrorists of Kashmir to Advani and Singhal,'' he said. ``At least they do not have a hidden agenda. They are misguided but, unlike this duo who has misled an entire nation in the name of religion, they pursue their objectives openly.''

On Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray, he said. ``I have nothing to say about him (Thackeray). Even if his views are not in agreement with yours, and even if he attacks your positions or does you harm, you have to acknowledge the fact that the man has no hidden motives and is shooting straight from the shoulders.''

On the contrary, certain ``anti-national elements'' among the politicians pursue their agenda ``either through the gun or, when violence fails, through religion,'' he said. ``This Government (at the Centre) has become a nautanki (farce). Advani is no leader, he is merely a naach-gaanewala. Such people should be given their own entertainment arena and not allowed to occupy such high positions in office,'' he said.

Severely condemning the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) as well, he said, ``This is an organisation which never participated in the freedom movement. It put its boys into khakhi chaddis but prevented them from fighting for the nation. It is as anti-national now as it was ever before,'' he said.

The Shankaracharya expressed himself in favour of a benevolent dictatorship for India which would safeguard the interests of the people and demanded that the VHP keep away from the proposed Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. ``The VHP has no experience of building temples. We have been building temples for generations since the days of Adi Sahnkaracharya. This job should be left to us.''

The Swami appeared particularly rattled by Singhal's alleged role in the melee among sadhus at the Kumbh Mela in Allahabad last December. Reserving the severest indictment for the VHP general secretary, he said, ``He does not even know the meaning of religion. His misuse of religion for politics has been so evil that he instigated a quarrel between sadhus of two akhadas at the last Kumbh Mela . `'