Dhirendra Shastri, popularly known as 'Bagheshwar Dham Sarkar,' a self-proclaimed godman, arrived in Pune today for his "divya durbar" in Sangamwadi. He was welcomed by BJP's Jagdish and Yogesh Mulik who are hosting the event.
Shastri, renowned for his televised "Divya Durbars" claiming miraculous powers, has been a figure of both acclaim and controversy. Notably, he recently made headlines for advocating Maratha reservation during a Ram Katha event in Chatrapati Sambhajinagar.
In January, Maharashtra-based rationalist Shyam Manav threw down a challenge to Bageshwar Baba, offering a reward of 30 lakhs for proof of divine claims. Manav cautioned about potential legal consequences under Maharashtra's Anti-superstition and Black Magic Act in case of failure. Despite initially accepting the challenge, Shastri later withdrew, prompting a police complaint from Manav. Reports also surfaced of alleged threatening messages from Baba's devotees to Shyam Manav.
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