Gurugram, Nov 10 (PTI) Members of the Ahir community in Gurugram, led by the Sanyukt Ahir Regiment Morcha, marched to

Gurugram, Nov 10 (PTI) Members of the Ahir community in Gurugram, led by the Sanyukt Ahir Regiment Morcha, marched to

Gurugram, Nov 10 (PTI) Members of the Ahir community in Gurugram, led by the Sanyukt Ahir Regiment Morcha, marched to

Gurugram, Nov 10 (PTI) Members of the Ahir community in Gurugram, led by the Sanyukt Ahir Regiment Morcha, marched to the police commissioner's office on Tuesday demanding an FIR against Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, the chief preacher of Bageshwar Dham, for his recent remarks on Lord Krishna.

    They also demanded an FIR against Sangit Kumar Ragi, a Delhi University professor, for his remarks during a television debate, which, the protesters claimed, hurt the pride of the Ahir community.

    Ragi’s office was allegedly ransacked by a group of people last week over his controversial remarks against Samajwadi Party spokesperson Manoj Kaka during the debate, which triggered a row over alleged casteist slurs.

    The protesters raised slogans against Shastri for allegedly hurting the sentiments of millions of followers of Sanatan Dharma.

    Morcha president Arun Yadav said there is widespread outrage among the Yadav community across the country, including in the Ahirwal region of Haryana.

     “Insult to Lord Krishna will not be tolerated under any circumstances. The protest will continue until Dhirendra Shastri visits the Banke Bihari temple in Mathura and offers a public apology before Lord Krishna with folded hands,” he said.

    Yadav also claimed that Police have accepted the Morcha's complaint and assured an investigation into the matter.

    The community members also threatened to intensify their agitation if police failed to take prompt legal action against Shastri and Ragi, and announced a 'Yadav Mahapanchayat' on November 22 at the Kherki Daula toll plaza on the Delhi-Jaipur National Highway.

    The row involving Shastri stems from a Ram Katha held at Shivpuri in Madhya Pradesh on October 29, when the spiritual preacher allegedly said that “our Ram is straight, while your Krishna is crooked”.

    Shastri also asked the devotees to look at pictures of Lord Krishna and observe his posture, saying that the deity stood bent at three places while playing the flute.

    Shastri later apologised, saying he had no intention of distinguishing between Lord Ram and Lord Krishna as they were one.

During a live television debate on Shastri’s remarks on November 3, Ragi allegedly made offensive remarks on the Yadav-Ahir community while targeting Kaka.

    The controversy triggered political reactions in Uttar Pradesh, following which Ragi issued a public apology on X.

    “This was not aimed at any community but rather at abusers like him (Kaka). Some people might have felt hurt by this, so I apologise; that was not my intention,” he wrote.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)