Puri: Actor-turned-politician Hema Malini found herself in the eye of the storm after a religious outfit in Puri demanded action against the BJP MP from Mathura for allegedly hurting the sentiments of Hindus through her ‘illegal’ entry into Srimandir during Holi celebrations Saturday.
Priya Darsan Pattnaik, convener of Shree Jagannath Sena – a religious organisation dedicated to safeguarding Jagannath culture – Monday approached the Singhadwar police seeking stringent action against the ‘non-Hindu’ parliamentarian for her act which has hurt crores of Sanatani Hindus.
Pattnaik, an advocate by profession, demanded that she be prosecuted under Sections 298, 299, 300, 301, 302, and 61(2) of BNS as she entered the 12th-century shrine despite being aware of her religious status (a Muslim) in violation of a host of legal provisions.
In his complaint, Pattnaik said Hema married Dharmendra after both converted to Islam at a Mumbai mosque to circumvent the penal provisions of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 as Dharmendra was already married to Prakash Kaur, and the couple had four children.
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Following the conversion, Dharmendra was renamed Dilawar Khan Keval Krishna, while Hema took the name Aisha Bi Chakravarti, Pattnaik alleged.
“Their Nikah was solemnised by Maulana Kazi Abdulla Fauzabadi August 21, 1979. Both Hema and Dharmendra even pledged Rs 1,11,000 as Mehr. The matter came to light when Dharmendra fi led his nomination for the Bikaner Lok Sabha seat,” the outfit’s convener said in his complaint.
Hema visited Srimandir, offered prayers, and later participated in Holi celebrations March 15. Therefore, Pattnaik said, the police should serve a notice to Hema for investigation under relevant provisions of law.
“If the allegations were found true, the MP should be arrested,” he said.
Since Puri MP Sambit Patra was aware of Hema’s religious status, he preferred to accompany her till Dolabedi, he alleged.
Pattnaik also held the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration and Puri district administration responsible for facilitating entry of Hema into the revered shrine despite being aware of the illegalities they were committing while doing so.
PNN