Bhopal: Religious story-teller and self-styled godman Dhirendra Krishna Shastri (26), who’s popularly addressed as `Bageshwar Dham Sarkar`, has grabbed the headlines as soon as once more for his so-called `Darbar` in Patna, which was thronged by a big crowd to hunt his blessings.
A political row has additionally erupted with a number of ruling alliance leaders, together with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, taking objection to the remarks made by Shastri on the occasion, whereby he reiterated his declare of creating India a Hindu nation.
“Those (Bageshwar Baba) who are talking about such things (Hindu nation) were not born when the country became Independent and the Constitution was implemented. Would they change the name of the country? We have multiple communities in the country and everyone has equal right to believe in their respective religion,” Nitish Kumar had stated on Tuesday.
However, it was not the primary time that the `Darbar` of Shastri, the `peethadhish` of the Bageshwar Dham Sarkar, a spiritual pilgrimage web site in Chhatarpur district in Madhya Pradesh, has triggered a political controversy. For the previous one yr, he has been grabbing headlines for making controversial statements.
Shastri made headlines after a Nagpur-based organisation challenged him to show his mystical powers at an occasion. Shastri, who reportedly ran away from the problem, has additionally been charged with selling superstition.
In March this yr, his go to to Chhattisgarh sparked a row after Congress chief Kawasi Lakhma, a Cabinet minister within the Bhupesh Baghel-led authorities, had challenged the self-styled godman to show his allegations that spiritual conversions have been going down within the state.
Shastri had shot to `fame` by his televised `Divya Darbars`, which have been attended by a lot of individuals the place he claimed to tame the spirits, diagnose sicknesses with none medical exams, heal the sick, learn minds and carry out different `miracles`.
In Madhya Pradesh, he has made a robust base within the Bundelkhand area, which is the explanation why not just a few native leaders, however even heads of political events within the state have made a beeline to hunt blessings at his `Darbars`.
Senior Congress chief Govind Singh, who belongs to Bhind, is maybe the one politician in Madhya Pradesh to brazenly criticise Shastri, whilst state Congress chief Kamal Nath together with another celebration leaders visited the Bageshwar Dham to hunt Shastri`s blessings for the upcoming Assembly polls.
Madhya Pradesh BJP President V.D. Sharma too attended Shastri`s `Darbar` inside per week of Kamal Nath`s go to, and was adopted by another state BJP leaders who both reached Chhatarpur or invited Shastri to carry his `Darbar` of their respective areas.
In February this yr, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had additionally visited the Bageshwar Dham throughout a mass-marriage ceremony organised by Shastri.
Last month, BJP MLA Narayan Tripathi had invited Shastri for a week-long `Darbar` at Maihar in Satna district. However, Shastri`s go to was cancelled on the final second.
Born on July 4, 1996, as Dhirendra Krishna Garg, the self-styled godman claims that he possesses some charismatic skills attained by `sadhana`. At his Dham, he has arrange an Annapurna Kitchen, the place free meals are offered to his devotees.
Shastri additionally hosts an annual occasion to marry off underprivileged and deserted females. He is presently establishing a Vedic Gurukul to advance Sanskrit and historical Vedic research.
