Senior Congress leader and Madhya Pradesh party head Kamal Nath welcomed religious leader Dhirendra Krishna Shastri aka Baba Bageshwar, known for delivering communally charged speeches against Muslims and intensifying Hindutva sentiments at an event in the former’s constituency Chhindwara on Monday, August 7.
On August 5, the Shastri arrived on a charted plane on a three-day visit to the state. On Sunday, a katha (religious reading) was arranged where he was accompanied by Kamal Nath and his son Nakul Kamal Nath.
Speaking at the event, the senior Nath described Baba Bageshwar as a ‘symbol of spiritual power’.
“The biggest power of India is spiritual power, and Maharaj ji is the symbol of this spiritual power. And the people sitting here are the protectors of this power,” he said.
Nakul Kamal Nath tweeted about the event and posted a series of pictures and videos of his father and him sharing the same dias with Baba Bageshwar.
It should be noted that the ‘Baba’ shares amicable relations with the Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
Against Hindutva agenda, stresses Congress
“Our idea of Sanatan Dharma is inclusive and does not discriminate between communities. That’s the core difference between us and BJP,” senior Congress leader from Bihar Kishore Kumar Jha said.
Congress party sources told The Hindu in this report that the move was to ensure the religious leader, known for his anti-minorities statements, does not propagate Hindutva elements in his speech.
“We never had the Hindutva agenda of the Congress or the BJP in MP. Before the BJP even came on the scene [in power that is] in 2003, I had organised the most number of kathas in Bhopal which was duly attended by the top brass of the BJP,” senior leader Ajay Singh was quoted by The Hindu.
Don’t link me with politics: Bageshwar Baba
Meanwhile, speaking to media persons, Baba Bageshwar urged them not to link him with any political party. “I am a follower of Sanatan Dharma and not a political figure. I would be happy if you keep me away from politics,” he said post his meeting with the Congress leader.
