Maulana Usman Rehmani Ludhianvi, the Shahi Imam of Ludhiana, has demanded that Bageshwar Dham chief Dhirendra Shastri withdraw his remarks on drug abuse and religious conversion made during the Shri Hanumant Katha on May 28, 2026.
Shastri’s remarks, which warned that Punjab must curb drug use and resist religious conversion, were interpreted by many as an affront to Sikh and Muslim communities, especially after he dismissed Ludhiana residents as ‘pagal’.
The Imam threatened to file a police complaint against Shastri and the event organisers if the apology does not come, and he has convened an emergency meeting of faith leaders to safeguard communal cohesion.
Christian clerics and other faith representatives have joined the Imam’s appeal, recalling the city’s long‑standing tradition of interreligious coexistence dating back to 1947.
Shastri declined to elaborate further to avoid a First Information Report, leaving the Imam to schedule a council meeting for June 2 to address the fallout.