Criminal Defamation Complaint Filed in Agra Court Against Dhirendra Shastri Over Krishna Remarks

A criminal defamation complaint has been filed in an Agra court against religious preacher Dhirendra Shastri over remarks he is alleged to have made about Lord Krishna during a religious discourse, the complainant's lawyer said on Thursday.

Advocate Ajay Pratap Singh moved the complaint before the Agra Civil Court, stating that the remarks were made during a Ram Katha at Karera in Shivpuri district of Madhya Pradesh. The complaint alleges that the comments hurt the religious sentiments of those who revere Lord Krishna and damaged the social standing of his descendants.

According to the complaint, Shastri compared the physical postures of Lord Ram and Lord Krishna, and said: "Those who follow Krishna might feel bad, but Krishna is very crooked. Even when he stands, he is bent at three places."

The complainant contends that Lord Krishna took human form in the Dwapar Yuga and that his descendants continue to live in India, citing references to communities such as the Jadoons, Jadejas and Bhatis in support of the claim. Singh further says that he traces his own descent from Lord Krishna through his maternal side, and that the statement hurt the religious feelings of Krishna's descendants and harmed their reputation in society.

Civil Judge Kanchan Kumar took up the complaint for a preliminary hearing. The court registered the case and fixed December 14 for the next hearing.

Dhirendra Shastri is the head of the Bageshwar Dham temple in Madhya Pradesh's Chhatarpur district and is known for religious discourses held across several states. He has a large following as well as a share of public criticism over his statements and public engagements.

The complaint, as described by the complainant's counsel, relates to alleged defamation. Indian law separately provides for offences concerning acts intended to outrage religious feelings, and courts examine such complaints at a preliminary stage before deciding whether to proceed. The filing of a complaint does not by itself establish wrongdoing, and the matter has not yet been adjudicated.

The development comes a day after Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav urged organisers and sponsors of religious programmes to stay away from 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 open to question should not preach to others.

The political exchange and the court complaint are separate developments, though both centre on the public conduct of religious preachers and the limits of speech around matters of faith. The Constitution protects the freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(1)(a), while also permitting reasonable restrictions in the interests of public order, decency and morality, and in relation to incitement to an offence. Matters of religious sentiment are usually weighed by courts against these provisions on a case-by-case basis.

This report did not carry any reaction from Shastri or his representatives to the complaint. The case remains at a preliminary stage.