Lê Anh Tú (Thích Minh Tuệ). — Photo vietnamplus.vn

Lê Anh Tú, with the Buddhist name of Thích Minh Tuệ, the mendicant figure at the centre of the 'begging monk' social media craze, has voluntarily stopped his latest walk following a number of public and traffic disturbances caused by his followers.

The Government Committee for Religious Affairs made the announcement on Monday.

From 2017 to 2023, he began practising Buddhism, walking and begging for alms and he travelled across Việt Nam three times without issue, according to the committee.

In 2024, he started the fourth walk from Khánh Hòa Province in south-central Việt Nam heading towards Cao Bằng-Hà Giang in the northern border, and currently he is on the return journey, now at Thừa Thiên-Huế Province.

However, this time, large crowds have started following him – including both the curious, people who want to pay their respects, along with hundreds of social media followers who have been live streaming his journey on their channels – resulting in public disorder and traffic disturbances.

On May 30, 2024, a man in the followers named Lương Thanh Sơn (alias Minh Thiện) from District 1, HCM City, died from heatstroke, multi-organ failure and gastrointestinal bleeding.

On June 2, 2024, two women following Tú also suffered from heatstroke and exhaustion, but were hospitalised in time for treatment.

In the wake of these incidents, the authorities said they have discussed safety with Lê Anh Tú, stressing the Government's policy of respecting freedom of belief and religion, but in the context of public safety and health as well as social stability.

Tú, who was born in 1981 in Kỳ Văn Commune, Kỳ Anh District, the central province of Hà Tĩnh, with registered residence in Ia Tô, Ia Grai District of the Central Highlands Province Gia Lai, currently has no fixed residence or ID card.

Recognising his civic responsibilities Tú has agreed to stop his mendicancy practice, following the committee's announcement.

The Việt Nam Buddhist Sangha confirmed that Lê Anh Tú is not a registered Buddhist monk belonging to any pagoda or institution of the sangha, and Tú himself stated he is a mere a layperson following Buddha's teachings.

Some social media users have leveraged Tú's ascetic practice to cast aspersions on the Sangha Buddhist members and practices. — VNS