New Delhi: Dhirendra Kumar Shastri, the head priest of Bageshwar Dham, is once again in the news for making controversial statements. This time, his target is women, or more properly, ‘women from prominent families’. During one of his addresses, Shastri targeted the women of the higher class on their drinking habits.
‘Will they feed alcohol to their babies’: Shastri
Shastri was heard saying during one of his sermons, “These days women from prominent families are drinking alcohol. Leave aside men, even women are indulging in drinking. This is impacting the values and norms of society.”
Shastri then went on to add that if the women and mothers themselves will have such a value system, then it would impact the children. He however did not just stop there. He went on to add that the women who drink, when they get married and have kids, will feed alcohol to the children to calm them down if they cry.
The statements given by the head priest of Bageshwar Dham has created a storm on social media. People are raising objections to his statement and also demanding an apology from him.
The religious head was speaking at an event in Nagpur, when he made these remarks regarding women. This is however not the first time that he has made such controversial statements.
Other controversies of Dhirendra Shastri
The statement on women’s drinking habits is not the first controversy that Shastri has been embroiled in. Just days earlier, he was all over the news for his statement regarding Maratha warrior-king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
He said that Shivaji Maharaj offered his kingdom to philosopher, poet, mystic and spiritual master Samarth Ramdas and asked Hindus to have 4 children. He said that the Maratha king had asked the Hindus to dedicate 1 of their 4 children to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
While the ruling BJP in Maharashtra, distanced itself from the statement, the Opposition has attacked Shastri. As for his statement on women, Congress leader Deepti Pandey said that the remarks were clearly “unacceptable.” She demanded a public apology from him and if he failed to issue it soon, there would be protests, she added.