Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh): Peethadhishwar (chief seer) of Bageshwar Dham, Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, who has been in limelight for his controversial statements, alleged that the government has allowed same-sex marriage and the decision is sabotaging Indian culture.
However, recently the Centre during the hearing of a plea regarding same-sex marriage. The government, during the hearing of the same-sex marriage petition in the Supreme court, also filed an affidavit opposing same-sex marriage in the country. The government had said that gay marriage or same-sex marriage is against Indian culture and should not be decriminalized. As the government has never supported gay marriage in the country, Peethadhishwar's statement has created an uproar amongst the netizens who also questioned his claim over the issue.
Shastri further alleged that recently in his village few boys were facing difficulty to get married and he advised them to marry among themselves. He claimed that subsequently, "the government approved same sex marriage. The seer mocked the government at the event. However, the Supreme Court has decriminalized homosexual relations but has not legalized same-sex marriage.
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Meanwhile earlier this month, the Bombay High Court while giving a reprieve to Shastri, allowed the latter to organize religious discourse on Saturday and Sunday at Mira Road-Bhayander, a Mumbai suburb. The matter came up for hearing in the Bombay High Court after the Congress as well as the Anti-Superstition Committee (Andhshraddha Nirmulan Samiti) had opposed the holding of the program.
