During a respectful ceremony at the Samajwadi Party headquarters, Akhilesh Yadav honored the distressed storytellers from Etawah by providing financial support, initially offering them 21,000 rupees each, with a promise of 51,000 rupees each thereafter. Emphasizing the universal nature of Bhagavad tales, Yadav stressed that if everyone can listen, then everyone should have the freedom to narrate.
On Tuesday, while speaking at the Lucknow party office, Yadav stated that impediments placed on true devotees of Lord Krishna when narrating important spiritual stories are forms of disrespect that should not be tolerated by society. He challenged those with a dominant mentality, suggesting that they publicly declare their unwillingness to accept contributions from the PDA communities.
Source: aajtak
Akhilesh also pointed out how, in the past, members from the PDA communities entering temples were subjected to purification rituals but today they face public humiliation like head shavings, a practice supported by certain factions backed by authority, allowing them such impunity.
According to Akhilesh, a segment of society is dedicated to instilling fear, issuing threats, and insulting the PDA community. He advocated for a legal framework ensuring freedoms in narrative permissions, explaining that some dominant groups wish to monopolize religious storytelling, which contradicts the openness that should characterize the BJP-led era.
Also see: 'We didn’t hide our caste, upon hearing Yadav, they declared this a Brahmin village...' Learn the heart-wrenching account of the Etawah story reciters' assault.
Mukut Mani Yadav and Sant Yadav, storytellers harmed during an altercation, cited incidents within Dandarapur village where they were humiliated, restricted from storytelling rights, and forcibly cleansed to their intense disgrace. As guests on Akhilesh Yadav’s platform, they expressed relief at the recognition and honor offered.
In truth, Dandarapur in the Bakewar Police Station jurisdiction witnessed a sacred Bhagavat story event where narrators, misrepresenting themselves as Agnihotri Brahmins, exposed their Yadav heritage upon inquiry, provoking a radical response. This event should never have breached the sanctity of spiritual discourse by enforcing such discriminatory practices.
