Kashi Vidvat Parishad Condemns Etawah Incident: A Stand for Equality in Dharma Practices

Varanasi, Jun 27 (PTI) - The Kashi Vidvat Parishad, a prominent council of Sanskrit scholars, has condemned the recent incident in Etawah where a non-Brahmin kathavachak was allegedly assaulted and tonsured. Professor Ramnarayan Dwivedi, General Secretary of the Kashi Vidvat Parishad, emphasized that every Hindu has the right to recite and narrate the Bhagavad Katha. According to him, no individual has the authority to deny this right. He highlighted that Hindu tradition includes many respected personalities, such as Maharishi Valmiki, Ved Vyasa, and Sant Ravidas, who were revered for their wisdom rather than their birth. The Kashi Vidvat Parishad is considered an authoritative religious body in Varanasi and is often consulted on matters of theology and dharma. Professor Dwivedi stressed that the right to narrate religious texts should be based on scriptural knowledge and righteous conduct, not caste. He stated, "One who is learned and walks the path of dharma is truly a Brahmin or Pandit." Criticizing political exploitation of the issue, Dwivedi urged Hindus to resist attempts to incite internal conflict for political gains. He also called for an impartial investigation into the Etawah incident, advocating for accountability if any law was violated. Professor Bihari Lal Sharma, Vice Chancellor of Sampurnanand Sanskrit University, supported the Parishad's stance, asserting that scriptures do not enforce caste-based restrictions on narrating religious stories. He emphasized that knowledge transcends caste and treats everyone equally, adding that God resides in everyone. Days after the alleged caste-based tonsuring in Etawah's Dandarpur village, protesters from Yadav groups demanded the arrest of those involved and the withdrawal of cases against the victims. The incident, which occurred on the night of June 22-23, involved Bhagwat Katha preachers Mukut Mani Yadav and Sant Singh Yadav being humiliated by "upper-caste" individuals after they discovered the preachers' Yadav caste. A video of the event, widely circulated on social media, showed the accused claiming the punishment was for preaching in a Brahmin village. The victims reported being interrogated about their caste, forced to show identification, and subjected to humiliation, including being shaved and having urine sprinkled on them. Following the video's release, four individuals—Ashish Tiwari, Uttam Kumar Awasthi, Nikki Awasthi, and Manu Dubey—were arrested and booked for their roles in the incident.