Sadhus should not be involved in politics

Neem Karoli Baba

(from "By His grace: a devotee's story" by Dada Mukherji):

Prabhudatt Brahmachari, that saint who has his ashrams in Allahabad and in Vrindavan, became rather well known because he was leading the agitation about cow protection and clased with the government. Maharajji [Neem Karoli Baba] told him that a sadhu should not become involved in political agitation. "A sadhu's work is bhajan and kirtan, puja and prayer. He should not go in for politics." 

The great sadhu, Karpatriji, led a religious movement for purification of temples and ashrams and the removal of Muslim mosques that had been constructed over the ruins of Hindu temples. He was also leading an agitation against the new law that permitted untouchables to enter the temples.

One day he came to Maharajji and said, "Such sacrilege is being done! You are a pillar of Hindu society. You must give your support and help us!"

Maharajji was furious and told him, "In what way are you a sadhu?! You do not go to the temple; you do not do your prayer and puja and bhajan. You are leading this agitation? I have seen some of the temples, there is no onw to look after them, I have seen the dogs coming and urinating on the lingams! This is what you want to protect? Those people who want to do puja and prayer, you want to stop them? You do not go, but you want to prevent those who want to go?"

Later, when he had calmed down, he added, "This is not the work of a sadhu, this is the work of the politicians. You should keep aloof from it."