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 residence district Chhindwara.
Shastri, together with his group of almost 500 individuals, is predicted to achieve Chhindwara on 4 August. The kathavachan, Congress sources instructed ThePrint, is scheduled to be held between 4 pm and seven pm, and can see Nath and his son — Chhindwara MP Nakul Nath — will likely 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 sometimes seen sporting sun shades, Shastri pulls immense crowds together with his claims of possessing miraculous powers, reminiscent of studying his devotees’ minds, curing cancer-like sicknesses, 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 sometimes raised calls for for a ‘Hindu rashtra’ and held ‘ghar wapsi (conversion to Hinduism)’ campaigns at his ashram. He’s additionally recognized to make controversial feedback about ladies.
His reputation soared to new heights after his discourse classes have been telecast on TV through 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 House 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 social gathering’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, mentioned “Nath may need invited Shastri for the kathavachan” through 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 Okay.Okay. Mishra mentioned the kathavachan was a non secular occasion that shouldn’t be seen within the mild 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 barely getting greater 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 acquired constructed as a private initiative together with a temple.
Round 3 lakh persons are anticipated to attend the programme, Congress sources mentioned.
Other than this, a contest testing college students on their non secular information is being carried out, and 10 college students from every block will likely be rewarded through the kathavachan.
Congress employee Gunjan Shukla and a group working underneath 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 ladies and women to decorate in yellow and take part in giant numbers for the kalash yatra that will likely 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 mentioned, “This isn’t a political occasion, it’s a non secular occasion organised by the Marutinandan Seva Sammittee for the individuals of Chhindwara. Each non secular particular person no matter their ideologies is welcome. If any BJP employee comes, we’ll 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 just lately, a bhajan programme by well-known bhajan singer Richa Sharma in 2022. These usually are 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 properly, the Congress had taken a gentle Hindutva strategy, with the social gathering’s manifesto promising gaushalas in each panchayat and growth 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 mentioned they trusted Kamal Nath’s Hindutva, whereas 41 p.c voted for Chouhan’s.
The kathavachan is seen as being aimed 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 usually are not political occasions, they’re held for robust non secular beliefs of the leaders and the residents,” mentioned a Congress chief from Chhindwara.
“However this can definitely ship a robust political message not simply in Chhindwara however throughout MP.”
Political Analyst Arun Dixit, nonetheless, mentioned 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 just isn’t some respectable seer however a person who calls women ‘empty plots’,” he added. “The Congress will do extra harm than earn goodwill by selling Shastri.”
(Edited by Sunanda Ranjan)
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