Bhopal: The Congress in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh appears to be seeking to money in on the recognition of controversial ‘miracle-maker’ Dhirendra Krishna Shastri Garg (26).
The state Congress unit, led by former chief minister Kamal Nath, is organising a three-day kathavachan (discourse) programme involving Shastri from 5-7 August in Nath’s dwelling district Chhindwara.
Shastri, together with his crew of practically 500 folks, is anticipated to succeed in Chhindwara on 4 August. The kathavachan, Congress sources informed ThePrint, is scheduled to be held between 4 pm and seven pm, and can see Nath and his son — Chhindwara MP Nakul Nath — might be current with Shastri at a “huge pandal” being arrange in Chhindwara’s Simariya village.
Whereas the Congress insists the programme is solely a non secular occasion, it comes months earlier than the state holds meeting elections.
Clear shaven and infrequently seen sporting sun shades, Shastri pulls immense crowds together with his claims of possessing miraculous powers, corresponding to studying his devotees’ minds, curing cancer-like diseases, and performing exorcisms.
The pinnacle priest of Bageshwar Dham in Chhatarpur district of MP, Shastri has claimed to have a reference to Hindu deity Ram and infrequently raised calls for for a ‘Hindu rashtra’ and held ‘ghar wapsi (conversion to Hinduism)’ campaigns at his ashram. He’s additionally identified to make controversial feedback about girls.
His recognition soared to new heights after his discourse periods had been telecast on TV in the course of the lockdown in 2020, and he’s being courted by each the BJP and the Congress in Madhya Pradesh.
BJP chief Kapil Mishra held an indication in his help in January, and state Dwelling Minister Narottam Mishra has referred to him as “babbar sher”.
Shastri’s ashram has additionally been visited by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan together with BJP state president V.D. Sharma.
MP Congress chief Kamal Nath additionally visited Shastri at his ashram this February — staying for 2 hours and, it’s learnt, praying for the get together’s victory within the upcoming meeting elections.
On the time, the Congress cited Nath’s devotion to Hindu deity Hanuman as the explanation for his go to to Bageshwar Dham, with Shastri additionally figuring out himself as a devotee of Hanuman.
A Congress chief, requesting anonymity, stated “Nath might need invited Shastri for the kathavachan” in the course of the February go to.
The kathavachan programme follows a number of non secular occasions held by the Congress within the state. Whereas the BJP has accused the Congress of utilizing faith for political good points, Nath has repeatedly described himself as a religious Hindu, saying Hinduism wasn’t a BJP monopoly.
Reached for remark, the Congress’ Madhya Pradesh media in-charge Ok.Ok. Mishra stated the kathavachan was a non secular occasion that shouldn’t be seen within the gentle of the elections.
The Congress, he added, has held a number of such non secular programmes up to now.
Additionally Learn: Dhirendra Shastri, miracle-maker of MP, is simply getting larger after rationalist problem
Preparations in full swing
Chhindwara has been Kamal Nath’s citadel for over 4 many years. Within the 2018 meeting polls, the Congress swept all eight seats of the district in addition to the mayoral seat within the 2022 city polls.
In 2019, when the BJP swept 28 of MP’s 29 parliamentary seats, Chhindwara was the one seat that voted for the Congress.
The preparation for the kathavachan, it’s learnt, is being monitored by Kamal Nath and Nakul Nath.
Simariya village lies about 70 km from the Chhindwara district headquarters, and a 12-acre plot has reportedly been leased for a month for the programme.
The venue is near a 108-foot Hanuman statue that Kamal Nath obtained constructed as a private initiative together with a temple.
Round 3 lakh individuals are anticipated to attend the programme, Congress sources stated.
Aside from this, a contest testing college students on their non secular data is being performed, and 10 college students from every block might be rewarded in the course of the kathavachan.
Congress employee Gunjan Shukla and a crew working below her Monday started distributing yellow rice and pamphlets to every of the 5.5 lakh households throughout Chhindwara, inviting them for the programme. Shukla inspired girls and ladies to decorate in yellow and take part in giant numbers for the kalash yatra that might be taken out on 4 August, a day earlier than the kathavachan programme commences.
Anand Bakshi, district in-charge of the Congress’ Dharma Evam Utsav Prakosht and convenor of the Marutinandan Seva Sammittee — a Congress-affiliated non secular physique — is spearheading the programme.
Chatting with The Print, Bakshi stated, “This isn’t a political occasion, it’s a non secular occasion organised by the Marutinandan Seva Sammittee for the folks of Chhindwara. Each non secular individual regardless of their ideologies is welcome. If any BJP employee comes, we are going to welcome them with open arms to take part on this non secular occasion.”
This isn’t the primary such non secular occasion organised by the Congress in Chhindwara, he added.
“The Congress organised a kathavachan programme by Murari Bapu in April 2018, a bhajan programme involving Anoop Jalota in 2017 and, extra not too long ago, a bhajan programme by well-known bhajan singer Richa Sharma in 2022. These are usually not political occasions however these held for non secular beliefs of individuals.”
In April, the Congress additionally held a ‘Dharm Samvat’, a non secular dialogue with clergymen of temples throughout MP, in Bhopal.
Forward of the 2018 meeting election as nicely, the Congress had taken a gentle Hindutva method, with the get together’s manifesto promising gaushalas in each panchayat and improvement of the Narmada Parikrama (circumambulation of the river) route and Ram Van Gaman Path (the route taken by deity Ram, Sita and Lakshman throughout their exile).
The strikes appear to be paying off. In a C-Voter-ABP Information opinion ballot launched final month, 44 p.c of the respondents from throughout 230 constituencies in MP stated they trusted Kamal Nath’s Hindutva, whereas 41 p.c voted for Chouhan’s.
The kathavachan is seen as being geared toward wooing the Hindu voters not solely in Chhindwara, but in addition the close by districts of Betul, Seoni, Dewas and Hardam, amongst others.
“The Congress has been conducting such non secular capabilities for a very long time. These are usually not political occasions, they’re held for robust non secular beliefs of the leaders and the residents,” stated a Congress chief from Chhindwara.
“However it will actually ship a robust political message not simply in Chhindwara however throughout MP.”
Political Analyst Arun Dixit, nevertheless, stated the Congress’ transfer to advertise Shastri might backfire.
“Dhirendra Shastri has been elevating pro-BJP points, whether or not it was the decision for Hindu Rashtra or ghar vapsi. Shastri will not be some respectable seer however a person who calls ladies ‘empty plots’,” he added. “The Congress will do extra harm than earn goodwill by selling Shastri.”
(Edited by Sunanda Ranjan)
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