Strong reactions in Maharashtra after Dhirendra Shastri’s comments on Sant Tukaram

In yet another controversy, Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, the head of the Bageshwar Dham temple in Madhya Pradesh, has come under fire in Maharashtra for his comments on Sant Tukaram.

A video of Dhirendra Shastri has gone viral in which he was heard saying that Sant Tukaram used to get beaten by his wife.

“Sant Tukaram was a Mahatma from Maharashtra….his wife beat him daily…one day someone asked him…’your wife beats you every day, aren’t you ashamed?’….to which Sant Tukaram replied - ‘its God's grace that I got a wife who beats me…if I had got a loving wife, then I would not have fallen in love with God and would not have drowned in devotion. I would have fallen in love with my wife. Having an abusive wife gives me the opportunity to serve God'.”

Acharya Tushar Bhosale, the President of BJP Spiritual Coordination Committee, lashed out at Dhirendra Shastri. “While speaking about Tukaram Maharaj, he has given a wrong reference. It hurt the image of Tukaram Maharaj and his wife…He has hurt the sentiments of lakhs of people of Maharashtra, not only the Warkari community. He should not say anything that hurts people,” Bhosale said.

Manik Maharaj More, the Trustee of Dehu Sansthan, said that what Dhirendra Shastri had said was wrong. “To forgive others is an important tradition of the Warkari sect and we forgive you,” he said.

Santosh Shinde, the state coordinator of Sambhaji Brigade said: “Dhirendra Shastri has insulted people of Maharashtra. First of all, he should stop donning the Shinde-shahi pagdi and Holkar-shahi pagdi.”

“If anyone has said anything wrong about Sant Tukaram Maharaj, it must be publicly condemned…stop showing it,” said NCP MP Supriya Sule.