A criminal defamation complaint has been filed against religious preacher Dhirendra Krishna Shastri in an Agra court over remarks he made about Lord Krishna during a religious discourse in Madhya Pradesh.
The complaint was filed by advocate Ajay Pratap Singh, who alleged that Shastri’s comments hurt the religious sentiments and damaged the social standing of Lord Krishna’s descendants.
The remarks were made during a Ram Katha held on October 29 in Karera, in Madhya Pradesh’s Shivpuri district. Shastri, who heads Bageshwar Dham, compared the physical postures of Lord Ram and Lord Krishna.
“Those who follow Krishna might feel bad, but Krishna is very crooked. Even when he stands, he is bent at three places,” Shastri reportedly said.
He also referred to Lord Krishna’s Tribhanga posture, in which the body is bent at three points.
Complainant Claims Descent from Lord Krishna
In his complaint, Singh argued that Lord Krishna was born in human form during the Dwapara Yuga and that his descendants continue to live in India. He claimed to be a descendant of Krishna through his maternal lineage.
To support his claim, Singh presented the Mathura Gazetteer and Alexander Cunningham’s Report of a Tour in Eastern Rajputana in 1882-83 before the court. He cited references to communities including the Jadoons, Jadejas and Bhatis, which claim links to the Yaduvanshi lineage associated with Lord Krishna.
Singh argued that Shastri’s remarks had caused offence to the descendants of Lord Krishna and harmed their social reputation.
The complaint was taken up for a preliminary hearing before Civil Judge Kanchan Kumari. The court registered the case and scheduled the next hearing for December 14.
Political Reactions
The complaint came a day after Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav urged organisers and sponsors of religious programmes to avoid controversial preachers.
Reacting to Yadav’s remarks, BJP state president Pankaj Chaudhary quoted a couplet from the Ramcharitmanas, saying that those whose own conduct was questionable should not preach to others.
