Following a disturbing incident in Etawah where a non-Brahmin kathavachak (religious storyteller) was allegedly assaulted and tonsured, the Kashi Vidvat Parishad—an esteemed body of Sanskrit scholars and Hindu scripture experts—has issued a strong statement. The council reaffirmed that all Hindus, regardless of caste, have the right to narrate the Bhagavad Katha, a revered collection of stories about Lord Vishnu, reported PTI.

Professor Ramnarayan Dwivedi, General Secretary of the Kashi Vidvat Parishad, stated unequivocally: "In Sanatan Dharma, the right to recite the Bhagavad belongs to every Hindu. No one has the authority to take that away."

He highlighted that Hindu tradition honours several revered figures who, though not born into Brahmin families, were venerated as sages for their wisdom and conduct. “From Maharishi Valmiki to Ved Vyasa and Sant Ravidas, our tradition respects those with devotion, truth, and knowledge—not merely birth,” he said.