Keeping up with UP| In the Lord’s name: A religious row with a political twist

Dhirendra Krishna Shastri’s remarks contrasting Lord Ram and Lord Krishna have triggered a row, exposing tensions among religious leaders and political parties.

In the 1990s, when the Ram temple movement was at its peak, people took serious offence to derogatory public utterances about Hindus having several gods and goddesses for the simple reason that worshipping multiple gods and goddesses was never a contentious issue. Regardless of many Hindus having a specific “aradhya dev” (beloved or tutelary deity), they revered all gods—Ram, Krishna, Shiva and Maa—who were often called by different names in different regions.

It was, therefore, shocking when the head priest of the Bageshwar Dham, Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, drew a divisive contrast between Lord Ram and Lord Krishna during a religious discourse in Madhya Pradesh recently. Shastri not only framed Ram as “hamare (our) Ram” and Krishna as “tumhare (your) Krishna” but also appeared to ridicule Krishna’s iconic three-fold posture, called “tribhangi”.

“Hamare Ram stands straight, looks straight and his name is also spelt straight while your Krishna is bent in three places,” Shastri said.

The derogatory tone and tenor appeared aimed at eulogising Lord Ram over Lord Krishna. Shastri had also asked Krishna devotees to raise their hands, conceding they would be hurt by his observation. He later apologised for his comment, but by then, his comments had created a furore. Many Krishna devotees, including the Yaduvanshis, were outraged. Samajwadi Party national president Akhilesh Yadav immediately demanded a ban on Shastri’s religious discourses in the state. Many others, including Union minister Chirag Paswan, also condemned the statement. “He has always been against dividing society in the name of religion and caste, but here, he is creating a rift in the name of our “bhagwan” (God),” Paswan said.

Some backed Shastri but Bharatiya Janata Party leaders maintained their distance from the controversy. This was perhaps because some in the party leadership had earlier lauded Shastri’s efforts to promote Hindu unity. Shastri is no stranger to controversies but his dismissive remark must have triggered unease within the BJP, whose politics revolves around “Sanatan and development.”

The issue also has a demographic dimension.

Krishna devotees form a powerful community in Gujarat, the land of Dwarka, and West Bengal, where the legacy of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu runs deep. These devotees have a strong connection with Vrindavan and Mathura. ISKCON followers are also spread around the globe.

The controversy has come at a time when the movement in Krishna Janmasthan in Mathura is gaining momentum, with the tacit support of Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath. The religious dispute over the temple and an adjoining mosque is in court, but it has become a poll issue.

The situation escalated when former Uttar Pradesh minister Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiya decided to proceed with Shastri’s three-day Ram Katha, from November 17 to 19, in his stronghold of Kunda in Pratapgarh, despite the growing row. Large-scale preparations with the support of the state government are underway.

Singh heads a party, the Jansatta Dal (Loktantrik), with two lawmakers. A Rajput leader with money and muscle power, Singh was put behind bars under POTA (Prevention of Terrorism Act) by then chief minister Mayawati over two decades ago. He has navigated various political parties and has maintained cordial relations with the CM.

Though he also enjoyed good ties with former CM Mulayam Singh Yadav, who withdrew the POTA charges against him within 24 hours of assuming power in 2003, Singh’s relationship with Mulayam’s son, Akhilesh Yadav, has not been cordial.

Singh has operated in the region with money and muscle power. He is a political influencer who helped form the Kalyan Singh government by mobilising MLAs from other parties and, in return, received a cabinet berth. But Kalyan Singh had once branded him “Kunda ka goonda (the thug of Kunda)”.

The recent war of words between Akhilesh Yadav and Singh, and their supporters has inflamed Rajput-Yadav tensions, with provocative statements flowing thick and fast. The Rajputs are seen leaning towards the BJP and the Yadavs towards the SP. Who will the row help politically?

In an era of religious renaissance, where crowds increasingly flock to spiritual congregations, politicians are also seeking the services of social-media-savvy gurus. Politicians want crowds, and people seeking succour from the burden of their daily lives are drawn to these self-styled religious figures.