Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati of Dwaraka-Sharada Peeth who is known for making controversial statements on April 12, alleged that "honeymooning couples, picnic-goers are responsible for 2013 Kedarnath floods". In 2013, at least 5,000 people had lost their lives in flash-floods and landslides, when they were on pilgrimage to Kedarnath.