What Aniruddhacharya Said About Women That Sparked Outrage-And Now A Court Case
Meera Rathore, a prominent figure in the Hindu Mahasabha’s Agra unit, condemned the sermon, saying the remarks “do not befit a saint”.
A controversy surrounding spiritual leader Aniruddhacharya has escalated after a viral video in which he made remarks about young women and marriage triggered widespread outrage. The clip, widely shared in October, prompted accusations that the preacher had made derogatory and stereotype-reinforcing comments about women. The backlash has now culminated in legal action, with the Agra District President of the All India Hindu Mahasabha, Meera Rathore, pursuing a complaint that a court has formally accepted. While proceedings move forward, the focus has shifted sharply to what Aniruddhacharya actually said and why those remarks have provoked such strong reactions.
What He Said That Sparked Outrage
The controversy centres on a snippet from one of Aniruddhacharya’s sermons, in which he remarked on the character of young women in the context of marriage. The viral clip shows him claiming that “a woman who has relationships with multiple men cannot be of good character”, a line that many viewers condemned as misogynistic and reductive.
Critics said the statement reinforced harmful stereotypes about women, fuelling both anger online and formal demands for accountability. Women’s groups argued that such comments from a religious figure carry influence and therefore have the power to legitimise discriminatory attitudes.
Aniruddhacharya later insisted the clip was selectively edited and lacked context. He argued that he had made corresponding remarks about men as well, adding that “a man who has relationships with multiple women is considered an adulterer”. Nonetheless, the viral excerpt, stripped of surrounding context, ignited a public backlash that has not subsided.
Complaint Escalates After Police Inaction
Meera Rathore, a prominent figure in the Hindu Mahasabha’s Agra unit, condemned the sermon, saying the remarks “do not befit a saint”. She initially filed a complaint at Vrindavan police station, but when no FIR was registered, she took the matter to the Chief Judicial Magistrate’s court. The CJM has now accepted the case and will record Rathore’s statement on January 1.
Rathore said she had kept her hair untied as a symbolic protest until the case was accepted, declaring that doing so marked her “vow” against the preacher’s comments. Her counsel, Manish Gupta, said the move to court became necessary when police failed to act on the original complaint.
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