Asked if he backs Hindu Rashtra, Kamal Nath points to 82% majority

The preachings of the 27-year-old Shastri, popularly referred to as ‘Bageshwar Baba’, are often laced with controversial statements. He routinely makes demands for the establishment of Hindu Rashtra and has organised ‘Ghar Wapsi’ events at Bageshwar Dham, his home base, in Chhatarpur district.

After the conclusion of the katha, Nath said, “Maharaj ji, don’t think you can get rid of me in the future. There are different types of relationships. But the relationship between Maharaj and I, is the relationship of Hanuman. Everyone here is a witness, no one can raise their finger on me. Maharaj ji you will go to many places but you won’t get a place like Chhindwara…today we respect every religion. We all respect our religion. I am a Hindu, I say this with a lot of pride. I feel happy that the people of Chhindwara, were granted this good fortune, that you came here. But in the end I want to say, you leave us hungry. Please come again, but our hunger won’t be satiated.”

In Madhya Pradesh, the Congress has not shied away from playing the soft Hindutva card to negate the BJP’s advantage and shield itself from the accusation of being an ‘anti-Hindu party’.

After the conclusion of the katha, Shastri addressed the media and said that he wanted to be kept away from politics. He also said that Gyanvapi was not a mosque but a Shiva’s temple and that the violence at Nuh was “misfortune of this country” witnessed by Hindus and asked them to awaken.