BJP Files Complaint against Progressive Marathi Youtuber

A BJP Social Media Convener has filed an FIR against Journalist and progressive Marathi YouTuber Ravindra Pokharkar for his video, wherein he accused some kirtankars from the Varkari Community of using their sermons to campaign for the BJP. He accused that these Kirtankars, who had already given up the progressive morales originally preached by the Varkari community, campaigned for the BJP under the guise of spiritual sermons for monetary gains. However, BJP worker Prakash Gade has filed an FIR against Pokharkar, alleging that the language that he used in his video and the allegations have hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus.

“This is nothing but an attempt to stifle freedom of speech. In my video, I have not spoken against religion. In fact, I have criticised those Kirtankars who have commercialised spirituality for their personal gains,” Pokharkar said while speaking to Indie Journal.

In his video titled ‘Suparibaz, Pakhandi Kirtankar Maharaj’ aired on February 10, 2025 on his YouTube Channel Abhivyakti, Pokharkar has alleged that the BJP, with appeals from Govind Dev Giri Maharaj, brought around two to three thousands Varkari Kirtankars from Maharashtra onboard to campaign for them ahead of Assembly elections last year.

“Their rate was decided as per their standards and popularity. In short, they were bought by the BJP. And they were made to campaign for the BJP. Of course, these Kirtankars were the ones who had already commercialised their spirituality and had given up on the values propagated by our saints. They completely engaged themselves in election campaigning for BJP, from village to village, wherever they were invited on various occasions, from Harinam Saptah to last rites,” Pokharkar said in his video.

Pokharkar said that he has around 50 to 60 such clips. He also showed a couple of them in the video, where the Kirtankars can be seen asking people to vote for Hindutva.

“The BJP brought the Kirtankars in their campaigning only after they faced losses in the state in Lok Sabha elections. They relied heavily on them for the Assembly election campaign, along with other measures like ‘Batenge to Katenge’,” he said.

He said in his video that because of this, the Kirtankars were felicitated in Alandi after the elections and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis himself appreciated and thanked the Kirtankars for this. Pokharkar’s commentary was also followed by an interview of Dinkar Shastri Bhukele Maharaj, a senior leader from the Varkari community, who has also spoken about this commercialisation of Kirtankars.

Pokharkar said that he believes that there are a few Kirtankars even today who spread awareness and try to educate people, although their number is dwindling.

“However, many Kirtankars today have given up on their original values. Even Tukaram said that everyone should do something else for their livelihood and take God’s name only in their free time. But these Kirtankars have now converted the sermons into a business. Not only this, but they are not even true to the preachings of the saints anymore. Instead they are spreading superstition, communal hatred, etc. And during elections, they would barely speak about spirituality for a few minutes and then openly ask people to vote for the BJP,” Pokharkar said, adding that the Varkari community perceived the Kirtankars as saints and they took undue advantage of this respect.

In his FIR, Gade has raised objections over some words that Pokharkar used in his video, including the word in the title Suparibaz, Bajaru and a cuss word Bhadkhau.

Talking about this, Pokharkar told Indie Journal, “I have not used any of these words against any specific person. Also, these are the words that Saint Tukaram has himself used in his writings. Even Saint Namdeo and Saint Gadgebaba have used harsh language to criticise such commercialisation.”

While the FIR was registered on Saturday, February 15, at Daighar Police Station in Thane, Pokharkar said that the police have not yet contacted him.

“The FIR has not yet been uploaded online as well. I have taken advice from my lawyer about what to do once it is uploaded. Many progressive lawyers from across the state have contacted me and given me their support,” he said.

Many progressive activists and people have come forward in support of Pokharkar. He has said that he is not going to express regret or issue any apology. “Let this go to court, I will fight and I will argue for the truth,” he asserted.