Mumbai:The Bombay High Court while giving a reprieve to Bageshwar Dham seer Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, allowed the latter to organise religious discourse on Saturday and Sunday at Mira Road-Bhayander, a Mumbai suburb. Earlier, Congress as well as the Anti-Superstition Committee (Andhshraddha Nirmulan Samiti) had opposed the holding of the programme. The matter came up for hearing in the Bombay High Court on Saturday.
The High Court after hearing the argument of government counsel Prajakta Shinde, rejected the senior advocate Nitin Satpute's plea. The court observed that the petition was filed only for publicity. The High Court also directed the police to take care of the law and order during the two-day programme.
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Divya Darshan programme conducted at Meera Road-Bhayandar by Bageshwar Dham seer Dhirendra Krishna Shastri Maharaj. Scores of devotees thronged the venue to listen to the religious discourse. The police served a notice on the organiser of the event. Besides, Andhasraddha Nirmulan Samiti alleged that the Bageshwar Dham seer has been misleading and deceiving people in the name of performing miracles. Dhirendra Shashtri has also been spreading superstitions and exploiting people financially, they alleged.
A few days ago, Maharashtra Congress state president Nana Patole shot off a letter to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis urging them to cancel the programme. Besides, the members of the Anti-Superstition Committee across the state opposed the holding of such event. Meanwhile, the organisers made elaborate arrangements for the event in which 5,000 mattresses have been laid out for the devotees to sit and listen to the religious discourse. Since Saturday morning, a large number of devotees has begun thronging the venue.
