'Beggers Gathered In Shirdi Sai Baba Temple For Free Food': Ex-BJP MP's Remark Prompts Father's Apology
Maharashtra News: Sujay Vikhe Patil's remarks about ending free meals at Shirdi Sai Baba temple, calling devotees "beggars," sparked outrage. His father, Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, apologised.
Maharashtra News: Former Maharashtra MP Sujay Vikhe Patil's remarks on ending free meals at Shirdi Sai Baba temple, referring to devotees eating there as "beggars and freeloaders" forced his father state Water Resources Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil to issue an apology. Addressing a gathering in Shirdi on Sunday, Sujay Vikhe Patil urged the Shri Saibaba Sansthan’s chief executive officer to end the free meal service at the temple, claiming it attracted a significant number of beggars from across the country.
He suggested redirecting the funds used for the free meals towards education initiatives in Shirdi, including coaching centres for competitive exams and hiring qualified teachers. Sujay Vikhe Patil, a neurosurgeon by profession, serves as the CEO of the Dr. Vitthalrao Vikhe Patil Foundation and is associated with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Criticising the free meal service at the Sai Baba Prasadalaya, Sujay suggested introducing a nominal fee. “The entire country is eating free food at the Shirdi Sai Prasadalaya. Meals should be charged at Rs 25, and the funds collected should be used for children’s education,” he said.
Elaborating further, he remarked, “We provide free meals at the Prasadalaya. This should be made Rs 25. The savings from this can be spent on the future of our children (local residents’ children in Shirdi). The whole country is eating here for free, and all the beggars in Maharashtra have gathered here. This is not right.”
Sujay also proposed the construction of a cricket stadium on land donated by his father to the Sai Baba institution. “The institution should consider why and for what purpose we are doing this. Children must receive education. However, the land donated by the honourable Vikhe Patil to the institution should be utilised, and within the next three years, a Rs 100-crore cricket stadium must be built on it,” Sujay said.
Mumbai Congress President and Deputy Speaker of State Legislative Council Varsha Gaikwad slammed the remarks saying, ”No one should use objectionable words like beggars. If anyone is demanding nomination for Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha, does that person then become a beggar? If anyone is asking for help from others, does he become a beggar? Those who do not understand the meaning of giving free meal and begging cannot be called cultured people”, Indian Express reported.
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Maharashtra Minister Assures Free Meals At Shirdi Sai Baba Temple To Continue
In response, Sujay's father, Maharashtra Water Resources Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, apologised for the remarks. “Sujay did not mean to hurt the sentiments of devotees,” he said, terming the statement as “irresponsible”.
Clarifying Sujay’s intentions, Maharashtra Minister for Social Justice Sanjay Shirsat, who visited Shirdi on Monday, stated, “Sujay Vikhe had told me that he was referring to people who come to Shirdi by buses and trucks and consume drugs. He did not mean to insult the devotees.” According to PTI, Shirsat added, “I think his clarification should bring down curtains on this sordid controversy.”
Reaffirming the temple’s commitment to serving pilgrims, Shirsat confirmed, “The ‘bhojanalaya’ won’t be closed and will continue to provide free meals.”
The free meal service at the Shirdi Sai Baba temple, run by the Shri Saibaba Sansthan, caters to over 40,000 pilgrims daily, offering meals year-round to visitors from India and abroad. Tokens for the meals are provided at the temple’s sprawling Prasadalaya counter.
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