Self-styled godman Dhirendra Shastri is not new to controversy

Bhopal, May 17 (IANS) Religious story-teller and self-styled godman Dhirendra Krishna Shastri (26), who is popularly addressed as 'Bageshwar Dham Sarkar', has grabbed the headlines once again for his so-called 'Darbar' in Patna, which was thronged by a large crowd to seek his blessings.

A political row has also erupted with several ruling alliance leaders, including Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, taking objection to the remarks made by Shastri at the event, wherein he reiterated his claim of making 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 said on Tuesday.

However, it was not the first time that the 'Darbar' of Shastri, the 'peethadhish' of the Bageshwar Dham Sarkar, a religious pilgrimage site in Chhatarpur district in Madhya Pradesh, has triggered a political controversy. For the past one year, he has been grabbing headlines for making controversial statements.

Shastri made headlines after a Nagpur-based organisation challenged him to display his mystical powers at an event. Shastri, who reportedly ran away from the challenge, has also been charged with promoting superstition.

In March this year, his visit to Chhattisgarh had sparked a row after Congress leader Kawasi Lakhma, a Cabinet minister in the Bhupesh Baghel-led government, had challenged the self-styled godman to prove his allegations that religious conversions were taking place in the state.

Shastri had shot to 'fame' through his televised 'Divya Darbars', which were attended by a large number of people where he claimed to tame the spirits, diagnose illnesses without any medical tests, heal the sick, read minds and perform other 'miracles'.

In Madhya Pradesh, he has made a strong base in the Bundelkhand region, which is the reason why not just some local leaders, but even heads of political parties in the state have made a beeline to seek blessings at his 'Darbars'.

Senior Congress leader Govind Singh, who belongs to Bhind, is perhaps the only politician in Madhya Pradesh to openly criticise Shastri, even as state Congress chief Kamal Nath along with some other party leaders visited the Bageshwar Dham to seek Shastri's blessings for the upcoming Assembly polls.

Madhya Pradesh BJP President V.D. Sharma too attended Shastri's 'Darbar' within a week of Kamal Nath's visit, and was followed by some other state BJP leaders who either reached Chhatarpur or invited Shastri to hold his 'Darbar' in their respective areas.

In February this year, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had also visited the Bageshwar Dham during 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 vist was cancelled at the last moment.

Born on July 4, 1996 as Dhirendra Krishna Garg, the self-styled godman claims that he possesses some charismatic abilities attained through 'sadhana'. At his Dham, he has set up an Annapurna Kitchen, where free meals are provided to his devotees.

Shastri also hosts an annual event to marry off underprivileged and abandoned females. He is presently setting up a Vedic Gurukul to advance Sanskrit and ancient Vedic studies.

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