Bageshwar Dham Sarkar Shri Dhirendra Shastri is on the radar of the conversion mafia which was evident during a recent PIL (Public Interest Litigation) heard by the Madhya Pradesh (MP) High Court (HC). The PIL that sought to stop Bageshwar Dham’s Katha programs in the state was dismissed by the Jabalpur bench of MP HC with Justice Vivek Agarwal schooling Advocate GS Udhe.

MP HC dismisses sponsored PIL

On May 22, the Jabalpur bench led by Justice Vivek Agarwal dismissed the litigation seeking that the religious event, scheduled for May 23 and 24 in Linga village of Balaghat District’s Paraswada, be stopped. On this occasion, Justice Vivek Agarwal termed the PIL a sponsored one and called the lawyer out for throwing tantrums and misbehaving with the bench.

Justice Vivek also warned the advocate of contempt of court charges if the latter continued to argue with the bench in an inappropriate manner. The judge noted that lawyers are tutored to misbehave with the bench. The petition alleged that the Katha Vachan should not be allowed as it would ‘hurt’ the religious beliefs of the Vanvasi samaj residing in the village.

Justice Vivek Agarwal asked the lawyer appearing on behalf of ‘Sarva Adivasi Samaj’, claiming to represent ‘tribals’, to explain the traditions of Bada Dev Bhagwan Sthal. Furthermore, when the judge asked the advocate to elaborate on how the sentiments of the Vanvasis would be hurt if Bageshwar Dham Sarkar was allowed to conduct the Katha Vachan, the lawyer was lost for words.

Unable to answer Justice Vivek’s pointed questions, Advocate GS Udhe started reading some vague paragraphs from the petition. The said passages contained no information on local traditions. The judge intervened and explained his question in both English and Hindi. Even so, the lawyer appeared confused and failed to provide details of the local traditions. He instead went on a tangent and said that the organization would have no problem if the program was held elsewhere.

“You are not answering my question. Who are you to decide where the event will take place and where it cannot take place?”, Justice Vivek questioned. “I am trying to explain it through Constitution but you are not listening to me. Kuch bhi bole ja rahe hain (You are saying whatever you want)”, Advocate Udhe said in an agitated tone.

Justice Vivek did not take kindly to the advocate’s tone and ordered that a contempt notice be issued against him. Undeterred, the advocate continued with his rude mannerism and said “I am trying to mention the provisions under Article 51 but you are not ready to listen”. He was given another warning, after which Udhe apologized.

“First answer my questions then we will read the constitution. Don’t try to be over-smart. If you try to argue inappropriately, I will send you directly to jail from here. Your practice will be finished. You think that by behaving inappropriately (in court) you will gain TRP). But you forget the day we send you to jail, your practice will be over. You are trained to behave inappropriately”, Justice Vivek noted angrily.

This is the second petition against Bageshwar Dham Sarkar, the first one having been dismissed on May 18 by Justice Vivek Agarwal. The judge asked Advocate Udhe whether he had read the May 18 judgement dismissing the plea against Bageshwar Dham by Advocate Prahlad Choudhary appearing on behalf of Adivasi Vikas Parishad’s Dinesh Kumar Dhruve.

The advocate had obviously not read the judgement as he failed to explain the judgment. Following this Justice Vivek remarked that the present PIL appeared to be a sponsored one and subsequently dismissed it. When the advocate highlighted that the event was scheduled to take place on May 23 and 24, Justice Vivek told him that he should have thought it through and come prepared accordingly.

On May 18, Advocate Choudhary asked for the cancellation of the Katha Vachan citing PESA Act (Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act) and claiming that permission of Gram Sabha was necessary for the event. Choudhary added that local Vanvasis were opposed to the event.

“Advocate Choudhary also argued that Madhya Pradesh Assembly Elections are scheduled in late 2023 and Bharatiya Janata Party is using Bageshwar Dham events to lure voters. He claimed that there has been a spike in invitations to Pandit Dhirendra Shastri Bageshwar Dham Maharaj to hold ‘Katha’ events across the state by BJP leaders. Furthermore, he claimed that such events cost crores that only political parties such as BJP can afford”, noted OpIndia.

The judge asked Advocate Choudhary to refrain from making political statements. Furthermore, Justice Vivek called out the sponsored PIL and said that the Gram Sabha should have approached the court instead of some organization if the Sabha’s permission was required for the event. Justice Vivek remarked there was no valid argument to back the claim that the event would affect Vanvasis.

Earlier, Choudhary claimed that Bageshwar Dham events promoted Hindutva and affects the region’s social structure. He further alleged that leaders were using the platform to promote religious disharmony. State Counsel Advocate Janhavi Pandit argued that as per PESA Act Gram Sabha’s permission was not required and highlighted that the petition appeared to be sponsored.

Bageshwar Dham Sarkar targeted by Hinduphobic cabal

Bageshwar Dham Sarkar Pandit Dhirendra Shastri has repeatedly faced attacks from the Hinduphobic cabal. In February this year, Andh Shradha Nirmulan Samiti’s Shyam Manav filed a complaint with the Nagpur police against Pandit’s Divya Darbar saying it violated the provision of Maharashtra’s anti-witchcraft Act.

Earlier this month, RJD politicians opposed Acharya’s visit to Bihar. Bageshwar Dham Sarkar Shri Dhirendra Shastri was scheduled to hold a spiritual camp from May 13 to 17 in Bihar’s Patna. However, Hinduphobic parties and their minority appeasing leaders were up in arms as is their wont.

The two petitions filed with MP HC’s Jabalpur bench also come across as politically motivated which is amply clear from the manner in which Advocate Choudhary brought up BJP even though the Bageshwar Dham is a spiritual Hindu organization. The advocate was possibly attempting to discredit Bageshwar Dham by linking it BJP.

It must be highlighted that the conversion mafia, particularly Christian Evangelical missionaries, are active in Vanvasi regions and their involvement using ‘tribal organizations’ as a front cannot be overlooked.

It cannot be emphasized enough that Acharya’s Katha Vachan programmes have inspired many to revert to the Hindu fold. The recent instance of Ghar Wapsi was reported from MP’s Sagar District where 95 persons from 50 Hindu families, who had converted to Christianity, returned to Hindu Dharma.

Earlier, a similar Ghar Wapsi was reported from Chhattisgarh. Prabal Pratap Judeo washed the feet of 1100 Christians who did Ghar Wapsi in Chhattisgarh’s Mahasamund District with Gangajal. They returned to Hindu Dharma on Thursday (January 19), the third day of the Bhagavad Katha recitation held in the district’s Basana.

Bageshwar Dham Sarkar is also credited with bringing back 300 converted Hindus to Hindu Dharma during a Ramkatha program on Christmas last year. No wonder, he has upset the Christian missionary mafia that appears to now be using its foot soldiers like the Andhshraddha Nirmulan Samiti and pliable Hinduphobic Indian media elements. The so-called tribal organizations also appear to be a part of the same cabal sponsored by the Christian missionary mafia.

Acharya highlighted that he is being targeted because his Ghar Wapsi programs have irked the conversion mafia. “From the time I’ve taken up the Ghar Wapsi issue for Sanatan Dharma, I’ve been facing attacks and conspiracies are being hatched against me. However, I won’t give up and I appeal to you all to continue the fight for Sanatan Dharma”, he said.

Acharya Dhirendra Shastri is immensely popular across social media platforms and has repeatedly asked Hindus to refrain from visiting Dargahs and Churches and stay true to Sanatan Dharma. His championing of the Hindu cause boldly has made him the prime target of Christian-Islamic conversion cabal, HINOs, Hinduphobic parties, and foot soldiers of sponsors of Hinduphobia.

If there is one thing that the Abrahamics and their brown coolies hate the most, it is a self-aware and proud Hindu wearing his/her religion on the sleeve. Spiritual leaders like Bageshwar Dham Sarkar Acharya Dhirendra Shastri are bringing about that self-awareness and instilling Hindu pride in the masses and are thereby putting themselves in the direct line of fire of the Hinduphobic forces.