Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Saturday said the arrest of Kanchi Shankaracharya shocked the entire country.
"It is the government's responsibility to ensure that the seer remains in good health and is able to perform his daily religious rituals," he said at an Iftar party hosted by him.
The National Democratic Alliance chairman said, "The manner in which he was arrested has hurt the people."
Stating that the court would do its work, Vajpayee, who earlier spoke to Home Minister Shivraj Patil on the development, said everyone should keep in mind that he was respected by crores of people.