The dowry harassment case against self-styled 'godwoman' Radhe Maa invoked mixed reactions on social media, where a few of her followers defended her, while the rest criticised her.
FIR against Radhe Maa and six others were issued earlier this week, including in-laws of a 32-year-old complainant who has accused them of “mental and physical harassment for dowry”.
In her complaint, the woman has accused Radhe Maa of instigating her in-laws, who are her followers for many years, for demanding dowry from her.
Celebrities from the Hindi film industry also took to social media to share their opinions.
Filmmaker Subhash Ghai, a 'devotee' of Radhe Maa, shared an extensive post on his Facebook page in her support, saying she “had been very affectionate” to Ghai and his wife Mukta.
“Being the devotees of mata Vaishnu Devi Me n my wife mukta have been visiting Radhe Maa to take her blessings since last year at mata ki chowki at Borivali Bhuvan held by her old devotees. Even we held one mata ki chowki at our residence n invited her to bless us n other devotees. She had been very affectionate to both of us N treat us like her parents,” Ghai wrote.
“We have never experienced any such kind of indecent act or atmosphere as being talked about in society today,” he added.
Whereas actors Paresh Rawal and Rishi Kapoor took potshots at Radhe Maa on their Twitter handles.
“Ppl shouldn’t compare this fake Hindu Godwoman with Rakhi Sawant..Rakhi earns her living by hard work...she doesn’t fake religion for that,” Paresh Rawal tweeted.
Taking sarcastic digs at Radhe Maa in a string of tweets, Rishi Kapoor urged the country to “wake up” and not get fooled by such “actors”.
An aspiring FTII student blessing an spiring FTII Principal. Jai ho Radhe Radhe!!! >pic.twitter.com/GHeCQZGnPR
— rishi kapoor (@chintskap) >August 7, 2015“Wake up India)! Your weakness is being exploited by these actors. I am too, but I entertain not deceive. Think,” the actor tweeted.
“Make up,lipstick,eye shadow,jewellery et al. for discourses? Is that my friend Bappi Lahiri without his glasses?” Kapoor wrote on Radhe Maa’s appearance in another tweet.
Police to record Radhe Maa’s statement
Meanwhile, Police said they would record the statement of Radhe Maa only after recording the statements of other accused against whom summons was issued on Saturday.
Summons was issued against six persons, excluding Radhe Maa, a senior police officer said.
Pointing out that summons was not served on her, Senior Inspector of Borivali police station, Mukund Pawar said, “Once the statements of the six accused are recorded by police, the police will call (Radhe) Maa for (recording of) her statement,” he said, adding that statement of the six accused will be recorded on Monday.
