Preacher Dhirendra Shastri using government aircraft kicks up a storm

A video showing Bageshwar Dham head and spiritual preacher Dhirendra Shastri arriving in Chhattisgarh on a government aircraft, and an on-duty police officer touching his feet, has drawn sharp criticism from the Opposition Congress, which is questioning the alleged misuse of public money.  

Mr. Shastri, accompanied by State Minister Guru Khushwant Saheb, arrived in Raipur on Thursday (December 25, 2025) for a religious discourse in Bhilai town of Durg district. The purported clip shows the two alighting from the aircraft and a police officer in uniform first saluting the minister and then removing his cap and shoes before proceeding to touch the religious preacher’s feet.

Congress spokesperson Sushil Anand Shukla questioned the government’s move to provide a plane for Mr. Shastri. “The government should issue a clarification on this matter. This is tantamount to looting the State treasury,” he said. 

Mr. Shukla claimed that Dhirendra Shastri was not a religious leader of the Hindu community or of Sanatan Dharma. “He may be a storyteller or a self-proclaimed godman who performs rituals and spells, but he is neither a religious scholar nor the head of any recognised religious institution. His conduct and ideology are against the country’s composite culture. Hinduism and Sanatan Dharma work to unite people, while Dhirendra Shastri creates mutual animosity,” Mr. Shukla added. 

Meanwhile, several social media users also criticised the government for sending the aircraft, alleging that the Minister’s trip to Satna, from where Mr. Shastri purportedly travelled to Raipur, was a way to sidestep protocol-related questions. Opinions were more divided regarding the police officer touching Shastri’s feet. 

The Minister called the allegations baseless. He told The Hindu that he had gone to Satna to attend a meeting. “The Congress does not have any issue, so they are levelling such allegations. They should not talk about misuse of public money after all the scams that surfaced during their rule,” he said.