'Kathavachaks' assault in UP: 'Yadavs' take to streets as seers split on who can recite 'Bhagwat'

Lucknow: ‘Yadav’ outfits are up in arms over the alleged assault of two ‘kathavachaks’ (priest-narrators) at a Brahmin dominated village in Uttar Pradesh’s Etawah district a few days back after it turned out they hailed from the ‘Yadav’ community.

The seers and saint community appear to split on whether anyone except the ‘Brahmins’ can recite the ‘Bhagwat Purana’ (one of the major Puranas in Hinduism) and is often recited at religious gatherings.

According to the reports, members of several ‘Yadav’ outfits staged a demonstration in front of Bakewar police station in Etawah district demanding withdrawal of cases against the two ‘katahavachks’ and action against those involved in the assault.

Police had to use force to disperse the protesters, sources said, adding that 19 people were taken into custody in connection with the incident.

The protesters also blocked traffic and chanted slogans against the state government, reports said.

Police said that they have lodged an FIR against four people allegedly involved in the assault while also registering a case against the two priest narrators Mukut Mani Yadav and Sant Singh Yadav for having Aadhar Cards and hiding their caste to recite the Bhagavat Purana.

Meanwhile the seers and the saint community appeared to be split over whether members of communities other than Brahmins can also be priest narrators.

Well known ‘katahvachak’ Dhirendra Shastri said that anyone could recite ‘Bhagwat Purana. Varanasi based ‘Kashi Vidwat Parishad’, a body of experts on Sanatan Dharma, also said that every Hindu had the right to recite Bahgwat’. Swami Avimukteshwaranand Sraswati, however said that only Brahmins could recite ‘kathas’.

The two ‘kathavachaks’ (priest-narrators), were allegedly assaulted, their heads shaved and were made to rub their noses seeking forgiveness at Dadarpur village in Uttar Pradesh’s Etawah district a few days back.

According to the sources, the villagers were angry after they came to know that the two priest narrators belonged to the ‘Yadav’ community.

The locals thrashed them, when they came to know that the duo hailed from ‘Yadav’ community. ‘’Only the Brahmins can recite Bhagavad Purana,’’ the villagers said. The duo had their heads shaved and they were made to rub their nose to seek forgiveness, sources said.

Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Congress sharply condemned the incident and demanded strict action against the culprits.