LUCKNOW, Jan. 28 -- A senior Uttar Pradesh state tax department officer posted in Ayodhya tendered his resignation, citing "offensive" remarks by Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand against chief minister Yogi Adityanath, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah.

In his resignation letter addressed to governor Anandiben Patel, Prashant Kumar Singh, posted as deputy commissioner in Ayodhya, said he was "deeply hurt" by the comments made by the Shankaracharya in Prayagraj, describing them as being against the Constitution, democratic values and the unity of the nation.

Singh said that as a government employee whose livelihood depends on the state, it was his moral duty to oppose any "unparliamentary and insulting...