The Vidya Math in Varanasi, located at Kedar Ghat, is currently at the center of controversy and allegations against Swami Avimukteshwaranand, with serious accusations laid out in an FIR filed at the Jhunsi police station in Prayagraj. In light of these claims, Neel Mani Shastri, a long-time associate of this math and a disciple of Swami Swarupanand Saraswati, provided detailed responses to each allegation during a conversation.

Neel Mani Shastri revealed that she has been part of the tradition since her initiation in 1986, predating the establishment of the math itself in 1996. She emphasized her familiarity with Swami Avimukteshwaranand, stating she knew him long before he attained the title of Shankaracharya. Neel Mani argues that the tradition of the math is ancient and disciplined, insisting that all activities conducted therein are completely transparent and above board.

Further addressing claims related to the education of girls at the math, Neel Mani Shastri categorically stated that no girls have ever been educated at the math, clarifying that a separate ashram in Narsinghpur, Madhya Pradesh, has been established specifically for the education and accommodation of girls, which she oversees personally. This statement seeks to dispel concerns regarding the math's involvement in the education of female students.