BJP's Kapil Mishra holds demo in support of Dhirendra Shastri, asks seers to…

Bharatiya Janata Party leader Kapil Mishra on Sunday held a demonstration in support of self-styled godman Dhirendra Shastri and alleged that he was attacked during Christmas for stopping religious conversion. The BJP leader also requested seers in the country to speak out against religious conversions and "love jihad", a term used by right-wing outfits to refer to interfaith relationships between Muslim men and Hindu women.

"I request other seers to come and speak on religious conversions and 'love jihad' just like Bageshwar ji, Dipankar ji, Devkinandan Thakur ji, and Swami Ramdev ji are speaking," Mishra told ANI.

"Attacks on Shastri ji started happening during the time of Christmas when he helped those living in the tribal area return to the religion they acquired at birth. He raised questions on 'love jihad'. Before all this, no attacks were happening. It is our duty to support Bageshwar Dham Maharaj Ji," he added.

Shastri, a self-styled godman based in Chhatarpur region of Bundelkhand in Madhya Pradesh, hit headlines after he allegedly ran away from a challenge by Maharashtra-based Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti. The organisation, dedicated to fighting superstition in India, challenged him to display his miraculous powers at an event in Nagpur.

Responding to the challenge, Shastri told ANI in Raipur, "Such people will keep coming. We do not have a closed room. They (people who have challenged him) should come and see for themselves. Anyone can challenge my words and actions on camera. Lakhs come and sit in the court of Bageshwar Balaji. Whatever inspires me, I will write and what I write, will turn out to be true. I have faith in my God."

On alleged religious conversions, Shastri said, "We are making Hindus return to the religion they acquired at birth. Some people are creating a nuisance. They have to be taught a lesson. As long as I am alive, I will make all Sanatani Hindus return to their original faith."