The arrest and alleged mistreatment of Kanchi Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswati by Tamil Nadu authorities provoked heated exchanges between opposition and ruling benches in the Lok Sabha on Thursday with the government making it clear that Parliament should not interfere in the matter as the law should take it own course.

Ruling United Progressive Alliance members repeatedly clashed with those from the opposition over remarks made by Bharatiya Janata Party Deputy Leader V K Malhotra with regard to the attitude of political parties on religion.

In the midst of the din, Speaker Somnath Chatterjee kept warning agitating members that he would take action if they did not maintain decorum in the House and expunged certain remarks of Malhotra, which created a furore.

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Raising the issue of arrest of the Shankaracharya in a murder case, Malhotra said the Tamil Nadu authorities were 'maltreating' him and torturing witnesses to make statements against the seer.

Contending that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had also written a letter to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa to take care of the pontiff in view of the sentiments of the Hindu community, Malhotra demanded that the case against the Shankaracharya be transferred out of Tamil Nadu to ensure a fair trial.

Responding to the opposition's charges, Leader of the House Pranab Mukherjee said the Centre had nothing to do with the case, which was within the purview of the Tamil Nadu government and the courts there.

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