In a bold show of solidarity, Mahant Lokesh Das from Rishikesh’s Jagannath Ashram has thrown his weight behind controversial preacher Dhirendra Krishna Shastri’s recent statement on the Indian tricolor. Speaking exclusively to reporters on Tuesday, the spiritual leader urged Hindus to rise above caste divisions that have long plagued the community.
Shastri, the head of Bageshwar Dham, had sparked nationwide debate by warning that if the tricolor ever featured Islamic symbols like the crescent moon, communities like Sharma and Verma—traditional Brahmin surnames—would cease to exist. He emphasized that Hindu identity should stem from faith, not caste.
Mahant Lokesh Das echoed this sentiment, declaring, ‘Division leads to destruction. Political parties have fragmented us into countless castes, but Muslims stand united without such divisions.’ He drew stark comparisons to recent events, recalling how thousands of Muslims swiftly gathered during the Kashi mosque demolition, while Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand faced humiliation without unified Hindu protest.
‘We must unite for our religious leaders,’ Lokesh Das stressed. ‘Shankaracharyas are the backbone of Sanatana Dharma and India. Brahmin leaders who claim to represent their community fell silent on this injustice.’ He warned that persistent casteism benefits only outsiders, potentially altering national symbols like the flag.
Meanwhile, Big Akhara’s Udasin Mahamandaleshwar Hari Chetanand defended Shastri’s remarks in the context of escalating violence against Hindus in Bangladesh. ‘Shastri is a thoughtful orator; his words are deliberate and apt,’ he said, highlighting the plight of Hindus being dragged, beaten, and burned abroad.
The controversy underscores deepening rifts within Hindu society, with calls for unity growing louder amid political maneuvering and external threats. As debates rage, voices like Lokesh Das and Chetanand push for a cohesive front rooted in dharma over division.