MADURAI, INDIA, August 1, 2016 (Times of India): Three months after the appointment of a junior pontiff for the 1,500-year-old Madurai Adheenam (Mutt), founder of Dhyana Peetam Swami Nithyananda has filed a suit against the appointment before the Madurai sub court. On April 21, the mutt’s 292nd pontiff Srila Sri Arunagirinatha Gurugnanasambanda Desika Paramacharya Swamigal had appointed V Thirunavukarasu of Pillaiyarpatti in Sivaganga district, as his successor. When the matter came up for hearing on Saturday, the petitioner’s counsel told that as far as Madurai Mutt is concerned, a junior pontiff could be appointed once during the tenure of the mutt head. Accordingly, the mutt head had appointed the petitioner Nithyananda, as junior pontiff on April 27, 2012. However, after some months, Arunagirinatha filed a case before the high court bench seeking to declare that the appointment was not valid and the concerned case is pending before the court. While the case is pending, the pontiff has appointed a new junior pontiff this year. Thus, his action was against the mutt provisions and the appointment of the new junior pontiff should be cancelled.
It may be recalled that the appointment of Nithyananda as junior pontiff evoked wide criticism and stiff opposition from various organisations across the state. Adhering to demands, the Madurai pontiff removed Nithyananda from the post of junior pontiff in the next six months.