Shirdi tense over anti-Islam remark, FIR against guru

CHHATRAPATI SAMBHAJINAGAR & NASHIK: Tension prevailed in parts of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Shirdi in Maharashtra on Friday evening after hundreds of people took to the streets to protest against Ramgiri Maharaj, head of a religious organisation in Nashik, for his alleged 'inflammatory' remarks.

The Vaijapur police on Friday registered an FIR against Ramgiri Maharaj under BNS section 302 for uttering words with deliberate intent to hurt religious sentiments of people.

Hours after the FIR was lodged against Ramgiri Maharaj in Sambhajinagar, CM Eknath Shinde shared dais with him at his Math in Nashik and said that none of the religious heads in Maharashtra would face any problem during the regime of the current government.

"The government is blessed by such great people. In Maharashtra no one will dare touch any of its sant (saint)," Shinde said and praised Ramgiri Maharaj for his religious discourse 'Akhand Harinam Saptah' being held at Sinnar in Nashik. State minister Girish Mahajan, who had accompanied the CM at the event, said that Maharaj was misquoted. "Maharaj said something on some issue, but it is improper to misquote him and circulate it on social media. Police will probe and take appropriate steps."

Ramgiri Maharaj, in his reaction to the protests and the FIR against him, said "I will reply to the govt notices when I get them." Earlier in the day, the situation in Vaijapur, Gangapur, Khandala, and other places in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district and other neighbouring districts including Shirdi in Ahmednagar turned tense after a purported video of Ramgiri Maharaj alleged inflammatory remarks was circulated on social media.


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